


Eyes of a Cold Night

by BryK, DaydreamAintReal



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: 2seok - Freeform, Action & Romance, Alternate Universe, Angels, Angels and Demons, Angst, BTS AU, Creatures, Demons, Fairies, Fighting, Fluff, Gay Love, Gay ships, Hoseok is a warlock, Hoseok is in love with jin, I'm bad at tags just read it, Jeon Jungkook is Whipped, Jimin is half angle half demon, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope is Whipped, Jungkook is a banshee, Kim Namjoon | RM is Whipped, Kim Seokjin | Jin is So Done, Kim Taehyung | V is a Little Shit, Love Triangle, M/M, Magic, Mermaids, Min Yoongi | Suga Is Whipped, Mystery, Namjoon is in love with Jin, Park Jimin (BTS) is a Sweetheart, Plot Twists, Seokjin is a siren, Supernatural AU - Freeform, Taehyung is royalty, War, Warlocks, Witches, Yeonbin, Yoongi is a Nephilim, bts ships, crackhead culture, mythical, namjin - Freeform, spiritual au, taekook, werewolfs, yoonmin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:46:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 76,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24339850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BryK/pseuds/BryK, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaydreamAintReal/pseuds/DaydreamAintReal
Summary: || YOONMIN supernatural AU ||They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and for Yoongi, that's never rang truer. As a Nephilim, he can tell if someone has angelic or demonic blood running through them by simply looking into their eyes.He wishes he had never looked into Park Jimin's eyes.
Relationships: Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun, Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Kim Seokjin | Jin, Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin, Min Yoongi | Suga/Park Jimin
Comments: 79
Kudos: 165





	1. INTRODUCTION

**Author's Note:**

> I'm opening my eyes in the darkness...

**Teaser:**

"Jimin...Jimin, run!"

Hoseok's voice was loud, but not loud enough to be heard over the roar of the oncoming avalanche. Jimin stood frozen, staring at the broken cliff edge where Yoongi had been standing moments before. As if in slow motion, he slowly approached the rocky edge and stared down into the darkness.

"Jimin!" Hoseok screamed again, panic laced his voice. The wind on the mountain side was harsh, he clenched his teeth to keep them from chattering. Fear rushed over him, but he had to be strong for the others. Rocks and snow tumbled down the mountain straight towards the group of boys.

Jimin turned towards Hoseok with a small smile. "You forgot," he whispered, letting his soft words get lost in the noise; he pulled off his coat and tossed it aside, "I have wings." Then, ignoring the pleas of the others, he jumped into the darkness, praying it wasn't too dangerous of a lair-though his gut told him it was.

That didn't matter though, he would follow Yoongi anywhere.

✨

**_Author's Note:_ **

  
Thanks for checking out my very first supernatural fanfiction! I'm having so much fun writing this and I'm excited to share it with you. The theme is a bit dark, but don't be fooled! There will be plenty of humor and fluff to lighten the mood.

My name is Leah, I will be writing the chapters but don't be fooled; this is a team effort! So shout out to my co-creator, Bry! Not only does she edit every chapter, but she also helps immensely with the plot and is very knowledgeable in the area of the supernatural. A lot of work goes into this fiction and I could not write this without her, she even has a hand in writing certain informative paragraphs and creative riddles.

•Updated at least once a week

•Side ships are included, but there will be a love triangle so let's keep those a surprise 😏

•Lots of suspense and romance  
•Includes some violence and sexual references  
•TXT members are present as side characters

Please be active readers!! The more active I am as a writer and you are as a reader the more views this book will receive. I'll make sure to do my part as an active writer if you do yours as an active reader. 😊

Below you will find a list of the characters. I sincerely hope you'll give this fic a try and hopefully it won't be a total flop!

Enjoy, lovelies!

-Leah 💜

_**Character List:** _

**MIN YOONGI**   
**_Senior/18_ **

_"Yeah, I know he's cute, but he's mine. Touch him and I'll kill you._ "

**PARK** **JIMIN**  
 _**Senior/17** _

_"If I had to choose between loving you and breathing, I would use my last breath to tell you 'I love you.'"_

**JUNG** **HOSEOK**  
 **Senior** **_/18_ **

" _I don't fall for your mind voodoo crap. I could have this filled out with the blink of an eye, you're not the only special one._ "

**KIM** **NAMJOON**  
 _**Senior/18** _

_"I think I'm losing braincells sitting with you guys._ _"_

**JEON** **JUNGKOOK**  
 _**Senior/17** _

" _AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_ _!_ "

**KIM** **SEOKJIN**  
 _**Senior/20** _

_"What can I say? I can be rather charming when I want to be."_

**KIM** **TAEHYUNG**  
 _**Senior/17** _

_"I, for one, believe in the existence of magic, otherwise there'd be no explanation for my existence. I mean, have you seen this face?_ _"_

_•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•_

**Eyes of a Cold Night © Leah Car** **[DaydreamAintReal](https://www.wattpad.com/user/DaydreamAintReal) ** **™ 2020**

**The moral rights of this author has been asserted. All rights reserved. This story is published subject to the condition that it shall not be reproduced or retransmitted in whole or in part, in any manner, without the consent of the copyright holder, and any infringement on this is a violation of copyright law.**

**Thank you.**


	2. Welcome

Whimsical.

I suppose that's what you could call the quaint little town of Sonyeondan when you're passing through. Perhaps you're going on a trip with your family and decide to stop at the pastel diner. Or maybe you're running away from home and crashing under the worn, wooden-tiled bridge. You could simply be driving through, admiring the old-fashioned, stone road, colorful buildings, and the wide streams that run all throughout the land.

Whatever the reason, I'd advise to not stay to long; however tempted you may be. You see, the locals wouldn't describe it as whimsical, far from it. Haunting, perhaps, even enchanting, but not in the good way. The small town has too many secrets for mere man to handle.

Myths of creatures surround the land, not all scary, but not all pleasant either. Years ago, a sighting of a creature with scales and wings that flew circled around town. Men grabbed their guns and stayed watch to hunt the beast, but it was never spotted again. Shortly after, someone insisted that they had spotted a half girl, half fish in one of the many streams. Once again the locals crowded around bridges looking for something to gossip about, but nothing.

The folks of Sonyeondan, pleasant as they are, love to gossip. So it was no surprise when rumors of all sorts of creatures spotted began to spread. Of course, this was all in good fun, and the excitement slowly began to die down.

So there you have it, a short introduction to the enchanting town of Sonyeondan. At least, that's what you would find in guide books and on the internet, but this isn't a tourist pamphlet.

So here's a rather unorthodox introduction of the Sonyeondan, one you won't find in the library or on the internet. One that even the locals are unaware of, and therefore can't explain to you.

But you must be warned, once you read what's written on these pages, even I can't protect you.

Every town has it's secrets, but none quite like those of Sonyeondan. Long ago, mortals and the mythical lived in harmony together. They banned together and fought off the darkness that threatened to overtake their land, and they succeeded. However, since there was no longer a common enemy, they began to see each other as a threat. A war broke out, and the mortals won, only because the mythical beings possessed a morality that escaped the greater good. Still, many died in the process and their numbers dwindled.

Today's textbooks teach that the war was a civil one of sorts, any mention of the mythical is left out. In fact, any memory of the mythical was erased out by a powerful warlock in order to protect their kind. Now, they live amongst the mortal as humans themselves. Some have to hide their powers and differences daily, while others are unaware they even hold such abilities.

That is until a group of high schoolers changed everything. No, I'm not talking about the Scooby-Doo gang, (though they are almost as comedic). You see, since the mortals and mythical were no longer working together, the impending darkness they had long since destroyed resurfaced in a whole new light. Only this time, more dangerous, because even the mythical beings themselves were unaware of each other.

In the previous chapter you will find a list of the seven heroins. Memorize their names and faces well, because there won't always be time for that descriptive bullshit in each chapter. Too much energy will be spent educating your ass in the knowledge of the mythical.

So what are you waiting for? You're in too deep to back out now. Let's get this bread.


	3. Strangers

Sweat dripped down Yoongi's shirtless body as he fought with ease. He had only been at the academy for one semester and was already the top of his class. With another powerful blow he knocked the simulated man senseless and his classmates around him erupted in cheers. His teacher nodded approvingly.

"Not only is that time your personal best, but also one of the best this school has ever seen. Well done," she stated while clapping along with the other students and faculty.

Yoongi's chest swelled with pride, he knew he was one of the best of his kind's generation. His heart dropped a bit when he realized that this was it, he had officially graduated from the academy and would be heading back to finish high school in the town he grew up in. It's not that he didn't care for his family or the people there, but here he was free to be himself. There was no secret he had to keep hidden.

Here, he was loved and admired. He could walk the halls with pride knowing he was top of his class. There, he had like one friend and he couldn't even tell him the truth. He was far from top of his class and always living in someone else's shadow.

That night he packed his bags slowly, the next day his parents would be taking him back to Sonyeondan. His roommate, a freshman, sat across from him with a sad expression. The two had grown close, despite the age difference. They both held a quiet demeanor and though his roommate was far smarter than himself, Yoongi was stronger. Both admired the other, they were a good team.

"I'm going to miss you," Taehyun finally spoke, holding back tears as his roommate packed.

"I know," Yoongi mumbled, he wasn't about to cry, he was stronger than that, but he knew Taehyun always tended to be weaker in that area.

"Do you think we'll ever see each other again?" the younger asked.

Yoongi hesitated, it's not that he didn't want to see his roommate again, but it would be a silly hope. The academy was strictly for training purposes, because of the dwindling population of their kind, contact with those you met here is prohibited. Taehyun knew that, but he was more of a dreamer than Yoongi.

"If our paths are meant to cross again, then they will," he flatly stated. Taehyun forced a smile, he had gotten used to his roommate's gruff attitude and was going to miss it. Jumping up he gave Yoongi a tight hug, he giggled when the older froze under the touch.

"You're my role model," he whispered, "someday, I'm going to be just like you!" Yoongi playfully shoved the younger off but could help his gummy grin and the ache in his heart. He had no siblings at home, and the other had become somewhat of a little brother to him.

"Someday, you'll be better than me," he responded with a smile. The younger would do just fine, he came from a big city where many of their kind existed. Even after he left the academy he'd find real friends.

The next morning Yoongi waved goodbye to all of his classmates and teachers before getting into his parents' car. They gushed at how proud of him they were, and for them, he silently forced a smile. He laid his head against the cold window of the vehicle and watched as the giant, stone school got smaller and smaller into the distance.

"Namjoon came over several times while you were gone, wanting to know when you were going to be back," his father chuckled. Yoongi smiled, Namjoon was perhaps the only thing he missed about their small, miserable town. They had been inseparable since elementary school, much to the teachers' grief. Namjoon was the one who hadn't left him when he went through a strange period of life his freshman year.

It's the year all Nephilim find out what they actually are.

Freshman year Yoongi had asked his parents why his classmate, Jisoo, had sparkly eyes. They proceeded to sit him down and explain to him that she was a very special person and that it was his job to protect her, and everyone else. That's what Nephilim do, they protect.

In mythology, if you were to properly research Nephilim, you'd find that they often go by the term "Shadowhunters" and are covered in cool tattoos, black clothing, and have all sorts of magical weapons. In reality, they're a lot more simple than that.

Nephilim are simply humans that have the blood of an angel in them. That means that somewhere along Yoongi's family tree, someone got down and dirty with an angel. They possess the gift of sight, and are able to recognize if someone is another Nephilim, angel, or demon, simply by looking into their eyes. Even angels and demons don't possess this quality, giving all Nephilim an advantage when it comes to the need to fight.

Freshman year Yoongi came home asking why Jisoo's eyes sparkled...and why her best friend Sana's flashed red. Sana didn't go to school the next day, or ever again. Her entire family disappeared, nobody quite knows what happened to them. That was the only demon Yoongi has ever seen.

Demons don't normally walk among the mortal, and if they do it's rarely in human form. Angels, on the other hand, are born in human form. They live and breath among humans as if they are human, the only thing they have to disguise are their bright, white wings, which fold neatly into their backside. Yoongi has met quite a few angels in his lifetime, of course he has never let them know that he knows what they are. Most of them aren't even aware there are others like them, and besides, that would mean exposing that he's a Nephilim. It's far better for everyone to think that his like has died off.

Needless to say, Yoongi decided early on he didn't want to fight the demonic and rebelled profusely. He became a very bitter, angry person who chased everyone away and ignored his potential. Namjoon was the only one who, though understanding none of it, decided that Yoongi was worth staying friends with.

Eventually, Yoongi smartened up. He decided that being a Nephilim meant being able to protect those he loved, and began to train. It's difficult to train alone under your parents though, so that's why for the past six months he's been gone at the academy. He was unable to tell anyone when he'd be back since it all depended on his success rate.

"We're so proud of you, son," his mother was saying.

"Thanks," he mumbled, feeling awkward.

"I'd really like it if you made some new friends at home now that your back, maybe some angels," his father began and Yoongi slumped back into his seat with a sigh. _Here we go again_ , he thought. His father didn't like that he only had one friend and that that friend was, for lack of a better term, a mortal.

"I'll try, father," he grumbled, lying through his teeth.

They finally pulled into the driveway of their house. It was a modest brick building on the outside, but on the it was decorated in the finest furnishings. Most everyone in Sonyeondan was well off and loved to flaunt it. Their basement was bigger than the house was above ground, used for training purposes of course, but the neighbors didn't need to know that. Before Yoongi could rush up to his bedroom, his mother pulled him into a tight hug.

"I missed you, lovebug," she murmured, her teary eyes flashed white when Yoongi looked into them, a sure sign of her Nephilim status.

"I missed you too, mom," he smiled, and he wasn't lying.

Once away from his parents and back in his room he collapsed on his bed with a sigh. Turning on his stomach he reached over to his nightstand drawer and pulled out his cellphone that he was forced to leave behind during his training period.

"Ugh, I've missed you!" he dramatically exclaimed, kissing the phone screen.

"Wow, didn't know you swung that way."

Yoongi started at the unexpected voice and sat straight up, his head whipped around looking for the source.

"Technosexual, I believe they call it."

He sighed in annoyance when he recognized the voice and looked towards his window which was indeed opened.

"You didn't strike me as the type to be technophobic," he replied, crossing his arms towards his neighbor who was relaxing on his second-story window ledge. He walked over and peered out of the open window, "I could have sworn this was locked," he mumbled, wondering how his parents could have so carelessly left it unlocked and even opened.

Hoseok snorted, "Well if you're accusing me of somehow managing to unlock it from the outside, I'll take that as a compliment."

Yoongi shook his head, "One of these days you're going to have to tell me how you manage to climb up here," he stuck his head out of the window and looked down, feeling dizzy from the height alone.

"I told you, that's a secret," his neighbor reminded him, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

"What are you doing here, Hobi? Have you come and sat at my sill every night waiting for me to come home? I'm flattered," he dramatically stated, placing his palm over his heart.

Hoseok laughed, "You wish! No, I was taking a walk and saw you arrive home. You just disappeared for months without telling anyone where you were going, what's up with that?"

"You're too nosey," Yoongi sighed, but secretly he had missed this. Hobi would hardly acknowledge his presence in school or anywhere else, but they've had many late-night conversations with him sitting leisurely on the sill while Yoongi stayed in the comfort of his bedroom.

"And you're too mysterious," the taller winked, "Joon's missed you a lot, by the way. The bullying has gotten worse without you by his side."

Yoongi groaned, "Well, I guess I have some ass to kick tomorrow."

"Yeah, I guess so. So you're coming back to school?" the smaller nodded. "Good," Hobi breathed a sigh of relief, "thought you might have become one of those weird homeschooled kids." They both laughed, thinking of the family of eight down the road that owns their own farm and will only eat organic vegetables.

"Yeah, no," Yoongi grinned. Suddenly, a soft giggle landed on both of their ears. Hobi turned to look, almost falling, but catching himself, while Yoongi stuck his head out to see who had made that sweet noise.

On the street below them two boys were skipping home, unaware of the eyes that watched them. The shorter of the two picked up the other and spun him around, both laughing loudly. Yoongi found himself mesmerized by the smaller's movements.

"Who are they?" he asked, a bit breathless. The attractive stranger was wearing a flowy white shirt that whipped around him as he carelessly danced in the street. He had looked so elegant, so, so _enchanting_.

"That's Park Jimin and Choi Beomgyu," Hoseok explained with a smile, "they're very sweet boys, just moved here about two weeks ago, Jimin is our age, he's a senior, and Beomgyu is a freshman. They're half brothers, I think, same mother different father sort of deal."

Yoongi nodded, only half-listening as his eyes never left the newcomer. Maybe being back in the boring town of Sonyeondan wouldn't be so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First official chapter! Let me know what you guys think ♡♡


	4. Peaches

Namjoon adjusted his worn out school clothing awkwardly. He was currently staying after school for an extra credit project, not that he needed it, but it was a tutoring session and he really needed a friend to help get him through this last year of school. Unfortunately, when he realized that it was going to be his bully he was tutoring, it was too late to back out.

"Are you going to help me or just keep staring?" his classmate, Seokjin, asked with a bored expression. He was eating a large peach, and the sticky juice was dribbling down his chin, causing quite the distraction. Namjoon sighed and began to attempt to explain his studying tactics to the older.

It's not his fault he's not well liked, in fact, he's rather smart and confident. However, he comes from a struggling family and the folks of Sonyeondan don't look too fondly on the poor. His father died when he was just a toddling boy, and his mother has done her best to provide for him and his younger brother. Recently, he has taken a job as a waiter at the town's waterfront diner to help make ends meet, for which he's only gotten more flack from at school.

Despite that set back, he was at the top of his class. He enjoyed studying, it was a much needed distraction. Besides, it did no good to have a negative outlook on life, which is why he tried to keep a charming, positive attitude at all times.

When his social studies teacher had asked him to tutor another student he had no idea it would be Seokjin, one of the wealthiest students at their high school. While he always tried to see the best in people, he struggled to find that in the elder. His classmate had been held back several times, and as a result, Namjoon could only assume he was dumb. Fortunately, he had an attractive face so maybe that could get him somewhere in life...

"Namjoon! I'm asking you a question!"

"Ah, right, sorry, I was just lost in thought!" Namjoon mumbled, chewing awkwardly on the end of his pencil.

"Mhm," the older hummed in annoyance, "how about, instead of tutoring me you simply let me copy your homework?"

"Then how are you supposed to learn anything?"

"Psh, how is learning about the war our ancestors fought in going to help me in life?"

"We learn history so we can know not to repeat it," Namjoon spoke firmly, repeating the words that his mother had told him many times.

Seokjin frowned, a dark look settled over his face, "I think you're wrong," he stated, sucking carefully on the finished peach's pit, "those who learn history are simply doomed to sit back and watch as it repeats itself." He stood to leave, but Namjoon grabbed ahold of his wrist.

"We haven't even studied at all yet," he said with concern, "Jin, you need to learn this stuff for upcoming tests and exams to pass and graduate!"

"It's Seokjin," he hissed, pulling his hand away in annoyance, "only my friends get to call me Jin, and you are certainly not one of them." Namjoon stared at the floor, all too used to people explicitly stating they have no interest in being his friend.

"Sorry," he steadily apologized as he reminded himself to stay positive and let it roll off his back.

"As for graduating? Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine regardless of the outcome," he threw the peach pit into a nearby trashcan, "see you around, I suppose."

Namjoon grinned, "See you around, peaches." Seokjin turned with a warning glare, but ended up just rolling his eyes at the pathetic boy.

He was very popular, despite having been held back so many times. I guess you could say he had a certain charm about him. Unfortunately, those that surrounded him as friends were far from it. They were admirers, possible acquaintances, but outside of school and the occasional party, he never saw them.

He left the library rather quickly, hating the idea of needing help from someone. His new tutor had to be Kim Namjoon of all people. The guy's smart, he'll give him that, but he was always unkempt and had like one friend.

Namjoon went back to contently studying when something hit the back of his head. He turned around, assuming it was Seokjin back to pick on him, but his frown quickly turned into a grin when he saw the culprit.

"Yoongi!?" he shouted in disbelief, jumping up to give his smaller friend a hug.

"Ugh, get off me," Yoongi whined as he pretended to not enjoy the skinship his friend was giving him.

"When did you get back!?"

"Yesterday." Namjoon finally pulled away and ruffled his friend's hair. Yoongi swatted at his hand with a growl, "Stop touching me."

"Shut up, you know you missed me!" Yoongi frowned as his friend gave him another tight hug, he wasn't about to admit it, but he did miss Namjoon, a lot.

Namjoon was elated that his best friend was back, he had been away at some boarding school, for whatever reason he was unsure. There are some things in this world better off not knowing, and Yoongi was determined to protect his closest friend from that knowledge. Sometimes, he was too smart for his own good.

"So, tell me all about it! What'd you do? Was it boring? Any cute girls? Guys?"

"Woah, woah, slow down," Yoongi laughed, "I just got back! But to answer those questions: it was pretty normal, (lie), I learned a lot, (truth), it's school, of course it's boring! (Facts). Saw a few cute girls, (meh), and guys aren't exactly my type, (big, fat LIE)."

Namjoon listened with a smile, jealous his friend got to go away to a school where nobody knew him. Often times he found himself wishing he could disappear to a place where he could start over. Or just disappear in general, but that was a silly thought.

Yoongi wrung his hands nervously, he hated lying to Joon, but if there was one thing they had stressed at boarding school it was to keep your mouth shut. No matter how tempting the truth may be.

"What about you, how's life been treating you?" he asked, genuinely interested in hearing how his friend was doing.

"You know, same ole same ole," Namjoon waved his hands in annoyance, "still getting picked on, except now I'm tutoring the biggest instigator so that should be fun," he sarcastically stated. Yoongi's eyes widened, now this was interesting.

"You mean Seokjin?" he asked, "the guy you've been crushing on since junior year?" Namjoon's face heated up, he was not crushing on the dumb elder who had been held back more times than he could count. No, he despised the man.

"Hah! He wishes he could land someone as smart as I am," he confidently smirked, though he was fairly certain the elder wanted nothing to do with him. Yoongi laughed, he was by far the more observant of the two, a perk of his nature, I suppose. He had noticed the other's stares long ago.

"Buddy, you confessed to me that you were gay the minute you laid eyes on him. I don't think that was a coincidence, you were just staring at him repeating; 'holy shit, I'm gay, Yoongi, I'm gay. Oh my gosh, I'm gay. I'm so so so so-'"

"Okay, okay, I remember," Namjoon grumbled, clearly embarrassed.

Just then the Prince of Sonyeondan walked into the library, his signature smirk rested on his face.

"Ah, Yoongi, you're back at school," he bluntly stated.

"I am!?" Yoongi responded in fluent sarcasm, "thank you so much for telling me, I had no idea where I was!"

"Hah hah," the other replied, clearly unamused.

Okay, so the prince of Sonyeondan wasn't actually a prince, this was 2020 after all. Kim Taehyung was the spoiled only child of this small town's mayor. He was by far the richest, brattiest person Yoongi had ever met. If he didn't know any better, he'd assume the man had at least some devil in him, but he didn't. Yoongi would know better.

Taehyung lived in a castle that overlooked the town. Yes, an actual castle. It's extremely old and had to be refurnished, but now that it had been it was beautiful. That's how he earned the nickname prince. It wasn't supposed to be an endearing nickname, it had started as an insult. Whether Tae realized that or not, he just took it and ran with it. Now, he insists that you address him as "prince" or "your highness.'"

"Did you have a nice trip?" Taehyung asked, too sweetly.

"Of course, your highness," Yoongi replied back just as sweetly, "I made sure to get back just in time for you to kiss my a-"

"Yoongi!" Namjoon cut in, smacking his friend on the arm, "I'm trying to not get killed today." Yoongi wanted to tell Namjoon that he had taken enough classes to kick anyone's ass, especially a mortal like Taehyung, but once again he just bit his tongue and stayed quiet.

"I'd listen to your friend if I were you," Tae chuckled, knowing he appeared a lot stronger than the other.

Just then three boys entered the library and sat down at a nearby table. Yoongi's breath hitched as his eyes followed them. One he instantly recognized, Jeon Jungkook, resident class clown. The two boys with him looked oddly familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

"Who's with Jungkook?" he asked Namjoon, who turned to look.

"Those are the new transfers," Taehyung answered for him, "They're not too wealthy, but not poor like pathetic Joonie over here." He waved a finger in Joon's direction but snatched it away quickly after he tried to bite it.

Yoongi couldn't stop staring at the two. Of course Taehyung only recognized them by their status of wealth. He remembered now, Hobi had given him their names. Jimin was laughing, and the noise filled his ears, it was melodically sweet.

Just then, the taller of the two looked up and locked eyes with Yoongi. He gave an innocent, unknowing smile as light energy flowed through the senior. His eyes sparkled, like white diamonds. Yoongi relaxed, he hadn't expected the two to have any status, but an angelic one was ideal. He tried to look into the other's eyes, but he was facing away. It didn't matter though, since Beomgyu was an angel Jimin must be as well.

Except Hoseok said that they have different fathers. Yoongi found himself getting excited at the possibility, angels aren't as common as mortals are, and if Jimin's father was a mortal, that would make him a Nephilim, just like Yoongi. At the academy, he had been surrounded by others just like him. At home, he had his parents and that was all. It would be so awesome to have another Nephilim his age to be friends with!

A sudden movement pulled him from his thoughts, Namjoon was snapping his fingers in Yoongi's face with a smirk. He pulled his gaze away from the pretty male and looked back at his annoying friend.

"What?" He snapped. Joon and Tae burst into laughter.

"Boy's been back for five seconds and he's already whipped," Taehyung laughed. Yoongi growled lowly, clenching his hands into fists. He knew he was capable of ripping the younger apart limb from limb, but it wouldn't be worth it. Taehyung was simply stupid, an absolute parasite maybe, but harmless nonetheless.

Suddenly, Hoseok ran into the room and pulled Taehyung away, mumbling something about exploding the toilets on accident. Yoongi shook his head and took a seat next to Namjoon, he was already missing his quiet dorm room and entertaining classes.

Nothing exciting happens in Sonyeondan.

Nothing at all.


	5. Time

Yoongi was lost in thought, staring shamelessly at the younger senior. For the past week Park Jimin had been all he had thought about. Now don't get the wrong idea, he was simply trying to figure out the other's status. He had been trying to lock eyes with the pretty male, but he appeared rather bashful and always looked away too quickly.

"Hey!" Namjoon took a seat at the lunch table next to his friend who was lost in thought, "you're staring at him again," he giggled, "why don't you just go talk to him? Here, I'll help you!"

He got up and walked over to the small, blonde male who was quietly eating lunch by himself. Before Yoongi snapped out of it and realized what was happening it was too late. He watched as his friend slid into the seat across from the new kid and made friendly conversation. Yoongi shook his head, there's no way he would be able to befriend him. Every student at this school knew to stay away from the poor, pathetic nerd, least they want to be picked on as well.

Surprisingly, he noticed Jimin smiling and laughing at whatever it was Joon was saying. Soon, Namjoon was making his way back to their usual table, only this time the newcomer followed him.

"Yoongi, this is Jimin, Jimin, meet my best friend Yoongi!" he cheerfully introduced. Jimin shyly nodded his head in Yoongi's direction, avoiding eye contact.

"Hello," he mumbled timidly, pulling his hands into his over-sized sweater. Yoongi hesitated, the boy looked too nervous to be a Nephilim. Even his roommate, who he missed more than he'd care to admit, was strong despite his shyer social presence.

The three began to chat about their days and Yoongi found himself growing fond of the boy. Jimin's family had just moved from a big city and they were getting used to the small, rural aspect of Sonyeondon. He was a dancer and wanted to get involved in the after school dance club. Oh, and his laugh made Yoongi tingle...in a good way. Yoongi decided that regardless of Jimin's status, angel or Nephilim, he'd want to be friends with him either way!

Meanwhile, across the lunchroom, Seokjin sat with Taehyung and Hoseok. He was picking at his food, unable to eat due to his upset stomach. It was a full moon tonight, so he was feeling more jittery than usual. It always had a strange effect on him.

"So you're telling me," Taehyung was saying, "that you unintentionally used a single lighter to engulf the entire math chalkboard in fire?" Hoseok nodded vigorously. "First you somehow explode the toilets, and now I catch you "accidentally" lighting an entire chalkboard on fire? I don't know man, feels like there's something you're not telling me..."

"There's not," Hoseok insisted, "please don't tell anyone, either of you," he pleaded, "I honestly didn't mean to!" Seokjin looked at him suspiciously, but didn't say anything. Everyone had their secrets, he should know, and if Hoseok's was that he was a pyromaniac then so be it. Stranger things have happened.

Taehyung slowly nodded, "Okay, but only because you're my friend. Now stop doing stupid shit that could get you expelled!"

Hoseok thanked him profusely, his nerves settling a bit. He really wasn't trying to cause chaos, it just seemed to follow him wherever he went. Especially lately, something strange was going to happen soon, something big. He couldn't explain it, but he could feel it. Maybe it was the full moon tonight. Could that be part of the reason he was so out of control lately? He wasn't about to be able to explain that to his friends, just like he couldn't explain that he's never even touched a lighter before.

Seokjin sat quietly listening to his two classmates banter. There was something off-putting about Hoseok's quote on quote "accidents," but it couldn't be..., as far as he knew he was the only one with a secret that big to hide.

"Hey! Your highness!" Taehyung turned and was hit in the face by a stale roll. His best friend Jungkook sat at another table, laughing hysterically. Taehyung smirked, picked up his lunch tray and, using it as a catapult, he flung a clump of spaghetti towards the younger.

"Please don't start a food fight," Seokjin nervously pleaded.

"Did somebody say food fight!?" Hoseok asked. He smiled widely, his childish side coming out as he picked up a handful of broccoli and chucked it at Jungkook. Soon, that side of the lunchroom began to hurl food at each other, most everyone laughing in good fun or hiding underneath a nearby table. Seokjin stood to rush out of the room when he was hit in the back of the neck by something spongy. He met Taehyung's eyes in a panic.

"Don't worry," the younger laughed, reaching up to wipe the sticky substance of off Seokjin, "it's just watermelon, it won't stain your shirt." Regardless of that fact, the older was fleeing from the lunchroom in seconds.

"He must have been really worried about that stain," Hoseok laughed while squirting his bottled water at someone nearby.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the lunchroom, Namjoon was attempting to make pleasant conversation with who he hoped would be his new friend. "Have you heard about what makes our town so strange yet?" He nonchalantly asked while munching on a slice of gross cafeteria pizza. Jimin stared at the squealing students from across the room who were flinging food everywhere.

"Is it not the fact that there's a giant food war going on that nobody's doing shit about?"

Yoongi snorted, "No, that's very common. Was it not at your old school?"

"No, not at all," Jimin chuckled, "Is it all the gay people?" he casually asked again, "because at my old school there were a lot of homophobes, but here my gaydar is off the charts!" Yoongi began to choke on a breadstick, while Namjoon smacked him on the back, laughing.

"There's actually not a whole lot of open homosexuals here," Namjoon explained, "but I agree, I think there's many more than they'd all care to admit." His friend was busy drinking water to stop the choking so he decided to continue, "What makes our town so strange is the supernatural activity that surrounds it."

Yoongi spit his water out right into Jimin's surprised face. Instead of apologizing, he proceeded to cough away the embarrassment.

"Shit, Yoongi, are you okay!?" Namjoon asked, rubbing his back furiously again.

"S-sorry, Jimin," Yoongi apologized, cursing himself for stuttering as the younger wiped his face off with a napkin.

"It's okay," he giggled.

"Anyways," Namjoon continued his rant, "people don't often stay in this town long because of the haunting aspects." Jimin nervously played with his sweater, the conversation clearly making him uncomfortable. "We've had sightings of witches, mermaids, werewolves, vampires, and even a dragon once," Namjoon noticed the other's stunned expression and quickly added, "all myth, of course. People just want to one-up the other in what they've supposedly sighted," he sighed, "this town is full of gossips, but it's actually very boring, there's not a whole lot to do around here."

Of course, Yoongi knew those sightings were all myths, the idea of creatures such as vampires and mermaids is ridiculous, right?

Jimin was scared by the topic. Yoongi could see that and he couldn't help but wonder why. I suppose if you're an unnatural being moving to a small town to hide your true colors, only to find out that small town has a supernatural history to it could be quite unsettling.

"Don't worry," Yoongi encouraged, reaching across the table to take his new friend's hand. He had already determined that he would protect the cute male with his own life, that was, after all, his job. "You're a lot safer in this town than you may think," he encouraged, even though his words sounded a bit strange. Namjoon looked at him with a weirded out expression.

"Dude, that sounded kinda creepy, not going to lie," he laughed.

But Yoongi wasn't listening, because Park Jimin had finally looked into his eyes, a soft smile playing across his lips.

"I know," he stated as his eyes flashed red. Yoongi pulled his hands away, a chill rushed down his spine. _No,_ he thought as his Nephilim nature began to scream, _kill it._

There was no way he was wrong, Park Jimin needed to die.

As far as Yoongi knew, the only legendary creatures to exist aside from his kind are angels and demons. Jimin's brother is an angel, and he wonders if the younger knows what his older brother actually is. Are they actually brothers? How long has Jimin existed in human form, most demons don't stay shapeshifted for that long of a time period. He hasn't really stopped to think about how the two could possibly be related, all he can think about is protecting those he instinctively needs to protect.

And that's why Yoongi finds himself silently following the cute younger after school. He uses his training to silently slip into the shadows and pulls a mask over his face. Jimin is walking with his brother who is laughing at something he said. Yoongi's hands are shaking, he's never actually killed a demon. Sure, they used simulations and practiced a lot at the boarding school, but even that was difficult. It's easy when the evil being is in its true form, but could he actually stab someone who looked so human?

He slipped around a corner into an alley he knew the boys would be passing by. Taking off his backpack, he pulled out a small dagger that his father had given him when he was only five years old. He took a deep breath and waited, he was born for this and he was determined to make his family proud.

Their voices reached his ears and he knew they were close. He crouched, ready to pounce, but when they walked by his hiding spot he froze. Jimin had Beomgyu on his back, they were both babbling about their day and looked so happy. The younger leaned over and kissed his brother's cheek,

"Thanks, Chim! My feet were so tired," he laughed, his long legs dangling loosely.

"Ugh, you better be thankful, brat," Jimin groaned, struggling to hoist the taller up higher, "I know you're younger, but I think you forget you're a lot taller!"

Yoongi stayed, crouched in his attack position, physically not being able to bring himself to move. He could sense the darkness in Jimin, but he looked so human, and Beomgyu, a definite angel, seemed to trust him. Is there a chance that he may be wrong? He decided to not tell his parents about the boy, they would certainly take care of him themselves and he wanted to be the one to do it. He would, eventually, it was in his nature after all, he just needed time.


	6. Earthquake

"Hey!" Yoongi jumped in surprise, turning from his locker to face Jimin. He had been extra jumpy since stalking the poor boy a couple days ago.

"Oh, hey Jimin," he mumbled, shrugging his backpack further up on his shoulder, "what's up?"

"I'm just heading to our chemistry class, thought you might want to walk together," he shyly offered. Yoongi avoided his eyes, because every time he looked into them all he could see was darkness.

"Sure," he agreed hesitantly, and the two began to walk together.

"So I was thinking," Jimin began carefully, "that maybe you could show me around town sometime? Only if you want to of course, I've just been curious as to what this town is like, I've only really been to school and home."

Yoongi's steps faltered, Jimin wanted to hang out with him? If only he knew...Yoongi shuddered, for some reason he couldn't stomach the thought of the younger knowing what he had almost done.

What he still had to do.

He thought for a moment, would it be easier that way? Instead of attacking unexpectedly, he could simply take him to a secluded area and end him there. Yes, he decided, he would do that.

"Okay, I'd love to," Yoongi finally responded. Jimin let out a breath, he had been so nervous asking the attractive male to hang out outside of school.

"Perfect!" he squealed, "maybe this weekend?"

"Sure," Yoongi nodded, wondering how on earth a demon could be that cute. They walked into their chemistry class and took a seat next to Taehyung.

"Morning, Tae!" Jimin chirped happily, the prince gave a genuine boxy grin.

"Morning, Chim!" he responded. Yoongi frowned, Tae was usually gruff towards those who tried to talk to him first thing in the morning.

"How's it going, Tae?" Yoongi tried, curious as to why he was in such a good mood.

"It's 'your highness,' and it's going shitty, how do you expect it to be going? You know I'm not a morning person and I hate chemistry." Yoongi rolled his eyes, okay, so it was just Jimin. Damn, what kind of powerful magic did he have to use to get on the most influential kid in school's good side?

A few moments after the bell rang Namjoon rushed into class, "Sorry, so sorry," he bowed to the teacher before slipping into his seat next to Yoongi. She frowned, but continued on with her lecture nonetheless.

"Why are you so late?" Yoongi hissed, taking in how worn out his friend looked.

"Kai," he groaned in response, "he was up all night talking to a new friend he made and overslept. I was barely able to drag his ass out of bed this morning, let alone all the way to school, ugh." His friend nodded, well aware of how much of a handful Namjoon's little brother could be.

He was a freshman and had more energy than an energy drink, except in the morning. He would often stay up late, or out at parties which he wasn't even supposed to attend in the first place, and Namjoon would have to drag him home. Nonetheless, he was a decent kid, and an absolute joy to be around. Yoongi enjoyed watching how tenderly Namjoon took care of him, taking on an almost fatherly role since they both had to grow up without one.

The bell rang for dismissal and everyone began to head to their next class. Stepping out into the hall, Yoongi found Hoseok nervously bouncing on the balls of his feet. He glanced up and noticed the light fixture above them was shattered.

"How...did you?" Hoseok simply shook his head, but inside he was terrified. Something wasn't right, he could feel it. Maybe that's why he had accidentally shattered the light fixture. Yoongi seemed to sense his uneasiness and backed away.

"Are you okay, buddy?" Taehyung asked, stepping in front of Namjoon to approach his friend.

"I'm fine," Hoseok snapped. Jimin was suddenly pushed aside by a tall, frantic male.

"Please tell me you guys hear that!?" Jungkook gasped, clutching his head in his hands.

"Hear what?" Namjoon asked with concern. Seokjin stepped beside him with an eye roll.

"He's been complaining about a buzz in his head, you know this one, always clowning around." Taehyung laughed in agreement and slung an arm around Jungkook's shoulder.

"My court jester," he cooed, but Jungkook wasn't laughing.

Suddenly, he began to scream. All eyes in the hallway turned to him, teachers poked their heads out of the doorways and students rushed over to see what the commotion was.

The scream was ear-piercing, almost, un-human. Yoongi shuddered, an uneasy feeling sinking into his bones. He gasped when he felt cold hands grab his arm, he looked to see Jimin looking at him with fear and confusion, but the darkness he saw behind the smaller's pupils made him even more unsettled.

"Woah, I was just kidding," Taehyung attempted to calm the younger down, "hey, stop screaming man you're really freaking people out, it's not funny."

Jungkook looked up, his throat raw from the scream that still left his throat. He was trying to stop, but he couldn't, he could hardly breathe as he used up all of his oxygen. The sensation rippled through his body which was beginning to shake, he couldn't close his mouth; tears began to prick at his eyes. And then, just as suddenly as it came, the scream stopped.

He collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving as he choked and attempted to inhale much needed oxygen. The scared, curious teens that crowded around him we're pushed away by concerned teachers.

"I couldn't stop," he finally choked out, "I can't explain it, it's never happened before, I-"

"Enough!" The principal who ran over to find out what the commotion was, pushed through all the teachers, "Mr. Jeon, I've had enough of your disruptive antics."

"But-" before Jungkook could defend himself, everything began to shake. Hoseok looked up with worry, he knew something bizarre was going to happen soon, and it wasn't good. The lockers shook, a few began to fall. Multiple students began to scream, rushing into classrooms to hide under desks or tables, as what could only be described as an earthquake hit.

"Yoongi grabbed Jimin's arm, "Quick!" he shouted, pulling the younger inside a classroom and under a table with him. He couldn't explain it, but despite the darkness, he felt a need to protect the other. He shook his head in frustration, an earthquake would have been the perfect death, so why did he help him?

"But, my brother!" Jimin cried, attempting to rush out of the room in search for his brother. Yoongi ran after him, just as a bookshelf from the classroom toppled over. He threw himself on top of the other male, painfully taking the hit. Once again he cursed himself for saving the smaller, clearly he was not meant to slay demons.

In the hall, Hoseok had pulled Taehyung and a shaken up Jungkook into a classroom. There was no more room under the desks so they quickly fled to the middle of the hallway.

"If we stay here, there's really nothing to fall on us, right?" Taehyung yelled above the commotion.

"Yeah, nothing except the ceiling!" Jungkook shrieked, pointing to the cracked tile. Suddenly, an overhead pipe split with a crack and plummeted towards them. Hoseok threw his hands up in the air and mumbled something under his breath. Jungkook and Taehyung clutched each other with a scream, waiting for the impact that never came.

"Don't open your eyes!" Hoseok screamed at the two, "don't you dare open your eyes!" The two obliged, terrified to do anything but hold each other. Hoseok had his hand held up above the three of them, the broken metal pipe floating harmlessly in the air. He looked around with scared eyes, worried that someone would see. When he was sure there was nobody else around, he threw the broken pipe off to the side, his hands never touching it, but his eyes never leaving it.

Once the immediate danger had passed he wrapped his arms around his friends and pulled them into another classroom to seek shelter. He didn't notice the wide eyes of a blue-haired sophomore boy who was hiding in a nearby locker. He had witnessed the whole thing and was beyond surprised, because all he could think was,

"There's another one like me?"

Meanwhile, Namjoon had pulled Seokjin under a solid doorframe with him. "Hey, peaches," he winked, "guess you could say someone's shaking things up today."

Seokjin groaned and rolled his eyes, "Your jokes are even worse than mine!" he let out a scared yelp when a picture frame fell off a nearby wall.

Namjoon laughed, "Don't worry, this doorframe should be solid enough." Just then they both heard a loud cry from the end of the hall.

"Namjoon, help!" Immediately recognizing his brother's voice, Namjoon left the safety of the doorframe to save the only family he really had.

"Kai!" he shouted, "where are you!?" A hand poked out of a collapsed area of ceiling tile and weakly waved. He rushed forward and began to remove the rubble.

"Are you okay!?" he frantically asked as he struggled to remove the heavy tile.

"Fine," Kai managed to say. The tile was heavy, but not super painful. Though he couldn't help but feel very trapped and scared. As Namjoon removed the pieces as quickly as he could, another pair of hands began to help him.

"Jin, what are you doing!?" he exclaimed, "it's not safe out here."

"I told you, only my friends get to call me Jin," the elder grumbled, completely ignoring his question. In all honesty, he quite preferred the name Peaches, but he'd rather be taken out by the earthquake than admit that.

Just as soon as it had started, the shaking stopped. Within minutes Kai was freed, a bit scratched and bruised, but alright. He wrapped his arms around his big brother, who began to sob.

"It's okay, Joonie, I'm okay," he smiled, holding his brother tightly.

"I just couldn't imagine losing you," the older whispered. Seokjin looked at the two curiously; maybe he had misjudged the other. Students began to step out of the classrooms, and to save face, Kai shoved his brother away. Some were crying, some looked completely shocked, and some were even nervously laughing.

Meanwhile, Yoongi had managed to push the bookshelf off of him and Jimin. The younger was quick to turn to rush out of the room in search of his younger brother. Without thinking, Yoongi grabbed Jimin’s arm and pulled him close, examing every inch of his body to make sure he wasn’t injured.

“Are you okay!?” He asked, a look of concern written over his face. Immediately he regretted asking the question, of course Jimin was okay, demons can’t exactly get hurt.

“I’m fine, I just need to find Beomgyu,” Jimin replied, his eyes appeared glossy, but his tone was strong. Yoongi let him go. He watched in confused adoration as the blonde ran out of the room. What was he going to do with him? 

Suddenly, Jimin backtracked and peeked his head around the door frame. “Hey hyung,” he shyly said, “thanks.” And with those words he was running down the halls again. 

Yoongi gulped, “You’re welcome,” he whispered to the empty classroom.

That night, everyone went home with a heavy heart. Some houses had been destroyed and some lower valley areas were flooded. Heartbreakingly enough, three citizens had been killed. While it was nobody Yoongi knew personally, it was still a somber night for him.

Luckily, his house stood untouched on a hill. He feared his neighbors down the way weren’t as lucky. He hoped Hoseok’s house had been spared, if they had to move he would miss their occasional night visits. He sent Namjoon a text to make sure he and Kai were alright, though he assumed they would be just fine considering their house was rather small, sturdy, and was further up an incline than his own.

Yoongi’s suspicions were correct. After a quick phone call, Namjoon confirmed that aside from his family’s barn that had been destroyed, and part of their garage, their house was still intact. 

As Namjoon hung up his phone he thought, _at least nobody I loved and cared about was hurt_. He immediately scoffed at the thought, how selfish was that? Then again, it's not like he loved a lot of people.

"Joonie," Kai asked him that night as the two sat together, still in shock at the days events. "What caused the earthquake?"

Namjoon shook his head, "I don't know," he admitted. The truth was, nobody knew. The next week many seismologists analyzed the land for the possible trigger of what caused the tragic natural disaster. It ended up being ruled a mystery, just one of those many unexplainable events that Mother Nature sometimes throws at you.

That's the funny thing about the town of Sonyeondan, it seems the people are willing to believe anything but the truth.

Mother Nature isn't real, but what is real is a lot scarier than a nature goddess. Maybe that's why everyone's so hesitant to believe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note: I added this copyright text to all of my works.
> 
> Book Title © Leah Car | DaydreamAintReal™ 2020
> 
> The moral rights of this author has been asserted. All rights reserved. This story is published subject to the condition that it shall not be reproduced or retransmitted in whole or in part, in any manner, without the consent of the copyright holder, and any infringement on this is a violation of copyright law.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Apparently, some people need a reminder that there's a fine line between plagerism and "inspiration." I want people to be able to continue to enjoy MY publications, without fear that they're enjoying it somewhere else. Please contact me if you see copies of my work anywhere that are not under my name and tag. :))


	7. Rebuild

It had been a week since the earthquake and the small town of Sonyeondan was back on its feet. In typical small town charm, neighbor helped neighbor, friend relied on friend, the small white church provided blankets and housing while the normalities of everyday work life were excused. The mayor even announced that school was expected to be back in session next week. 

Jimin sat on a high brick ledge right outside his house, his feet dangled dangerously, but he wasn't afraid of falling. His family's backyard was walled in for privacy, meaning those walls were as high as his two-story house. He watched curiously as people passed by below him, completely oblivious to his presence. He wished it could always be that way.

He arched his back, wishing he could stretch his wings out and fly away, never to return. But that was impossible; he didn't fit in anywhere. He heard a carefree laugh and looked behind into his bricked in backyard. His brother was shirtless, stretched out on his stomach, his beautiful white wings spread freely. He was talking on the phone to someone, a new friend. Gosh, he made friends so easily. 

Jimin turned back to look at the bustling townsfolk. He was envious of the life his younger brother had. He was envious of his beautiful, white wings. His mother, step-father, and brother, they were saints; I mean they're angels, they have to be, but still. They never complained when they had to pack up everything and move to a different city or town because of him. They didn't have to, he saw how much Beomgyu cried leaving his school friends, and how much it pained his mother to lose the connection she had with her family. 

It was all his fault. He hurts them, and he knows it. Hurts them by simply existing.

The city they just came from was hard to leave, they had been there the longest, three years. They had hoped to stay for longer. Everything had been going well, he was careful not to make eye contact, even wore sunglasses out the majority of times. It wasn't enough, it was never enough.

This time it was a waitress, he simply wanted a refill on his iced tea and made eye contact with her to be polite and say "thank you." He'll never forget the look she gave him, some are better at hiding when they figure it out, but she was like an open book.

They fled from that restaurant, running to their home deep in the forest, grabbed the necessities and took off. Nobody was able to say goodbye, but they didn't complain. He wanted to complain, he didn't ask to be born like this.

You see, Jimin knows little to nothing about his father. His mother met a handsome stranger at a nightclub and drank a little too much. It was one night, meant nothing, no big deal.

Until she got pregnant. Her family was difficult to tell, angels tend to hold their children at high standards, but they decided that it would be best to rally around her and her new child. When Jimin was born, however, something was off. 

His wings. His wings were different, and that was the first sign. So his grandma, being the loving being she is, brought an old friend of hers, a Nephilim, to meet her new grandson. That was the first time his life was almost taken. 

So his mother took him and fled, with full knowledge that she had just birthed a half-angel, half-demon baby. While she traveled from place to place, she met Beomgyu's father. He was a kind, understanding angel, who insisted that he too saw the good in Jimin. 

It's funny because Jimin can't even see the good in him. If his eyes give him away, does that mean he has more darkness in him than light? The only person in their family that is scared of Jimin turning out like his father is Jimin himself. 

For years he has escaped death. He's lost count of how many people have attempted to take his life, thus causing Jimin to hate Nephilim with all of his heart and soul. It's their fault he has to keep fleeing, they take one look in his eyes and try to kill him. The feeling must be mutual though, and he has a large scar on his stomach to prove it. 

So this time, they moved to a small nobody town. The odds of there being Nephilim are slim to none since their numbers are already dwindling. They got a walled in backyard so they could have a place to stretch their wings, and a small house to call home. A small town was a good idea, Jimin felt at ease, like he could breathe. 

His mom, step-father, and brother seemed to love it here as well. He straddled the wall and turned to look at his family, all of them had their wings out in the safety of the backyard. A feeling of guilt settled in his stomach, guilt for being born. 

Right then and there Jimin made a vow that he wouldn't make them move again. If a Nephilim looked him in the eye tomorrow and decided to kill him, he wouldn't run, he wouldn't fight back, he would just let them. It's not like his existence was worth much, all it did was cause heartache.

He wanted to join his family, his wings ached to be stretched, but he was too ashamed. Too ashamed of his ugly wings that he only ever took out at night.

So instead he decided to go on a walk. Making sure there was nobody around, he dropped to the ground with only a slight shudder of pain. Perk of being a spiritual being, he supposed. He didn't need his wings out to be unaffected by a height such as that. 

He glanced at his phone, maybe he should call Yoongi? His classmate promised to show him around town, but with the unexpected earthquake, he never got the chance. After debating with himself for a while, he finally gained the courage to call.

Yoongi picked up on the second ring, "Jimin?" he panted, sounding out of breath for some reason.

"Hey, Yoongi," Jimin awkwardly spoke as he cradled his cellphone under his ear, "I know things have been really hectic, but I was wondering if you'd like to take me on that tour we talked about today." 

"Ah, sure. When were you thinking?"

"Anytime you're available, I'm not really doing much today!" 

"Erm, okay, how about I meet you at your house in like a half hour?" Jimin thought about his family leisurely sunbathing with their wings on full display.

"Actually, I don't think, um, could we just meet at your house?" he asked, facepalming as he walked. He wasn't able to come up with a good enough excuse.

"Um," Yoongi thought about Jimin's eyes. His parents would kill the boy in an instant if they saw them, there's no way he could have the younger near his house. 

Not that he cared about the demon, that would be absurd! No, he just wanted to be the one to take victory in the kill. Besides, every Nephilim needs a good first slay story, and having a demon disguised as a cute classmate sounded like a good one to him.

"How about we meet at the Seaside Diner, do you know the one? It's an ugly pastel color." Jimin chuckled, he knew what Yoongi was referencing and he was right, it was an ugly diner.

"Okay, sounds good!" he exclaimed before hanging up. Since he was almost at the diner anyway, he decided to head in and take a seat while he waited. 

The bell chimed overhead when he entered and took a seat at a corner booth. It wasn't very busy considering the recent circumstances, and aside from a tall kid who sat in the booth next to the one Jimin sat at, the place was empty. He glanced at the younger male, he was doing what looked like homework, they probably went to the same school.

"Hello, welcome to-oh, Jimin! Hi!" Jimin turned to look at Namjoon, who had just come out of the back room to wait on him.

"You work here!?" he didn't mean to sound rude, he was simply surprised. 

Namjoon's face fell, "Yeah, my family needs the money," he sighed.

"That's honorable," Jimin stated with a nod, the older looked surprised.

"It is? I mean, of course it is!" 

Jimin giggled, "I actually don't have any money on me," he explained, "I'm just waiting for someone."

"Oh," Namjoon nodded, putting his notepad back in his apron pocket. Suddenly, he had a realization and wiggled his eyebrows at the other, "Oh! Oh shoot , who's the lucky woman?" 

Jimin realized what he had assumed and quickly corrected him, "It's not like that," he laughed, "Yoongi is just going to show me-" 

"Yoongi!?" 

"Yes," Jimin sighed, "but it's not like that." 

"Okay, okay," Namjoon held up his hands in defeat, "I'm going to grab you a smoothie while you wait, on the house! Just take a seat by my brother over there." He pointed to the other occupied booth, "my boss doesn't care for people who simply use this place as a waiting room, but if you sit next to Kai, he won't even notice you're here!" 

"Thanks!" Jimin shouted as Namjoon ran into the kitchen to make a smoothie. Jimin slid into the seat across from Namjoon's brother with a smile.

"Hello." The taller looked at him with a confused expression.

"Hi?" 

"You're brother told me to sit here while I wait for a friend," he explained, "is that okay?"

"Yeah, yes! Of course!" the younger beamed with a contagious smile, "I'm Kai." 

"Jimin," he responded with a matching smile.

"Oh! Are you Beomgyu's brother?" Kai asked with excitement.

"Yeah! Have you met him?" 

"Mhm, he's in my gym class! He's wicked fast and light on his feet, we're going to play soccer together sometime."

"I'm so glad he's making friends!" Jimin exclaimed with genuine happiness, "I have a class with your brother as well."

"Ugh, isn't he the worst," Kai said with a grin as Namjoon approached the table with two smoothies in his hand

"Yes, aren't I just the most awful human being, bringing you two lovely men smoothies for free?" he set a strawberry smoothie down in front of Jimin, but refused to give Kai his.

"Give it to me!" The younger pouted while attempting to snatch the drink out of his older brother's hands, "come on man, I'm dying of thirst!" Namjoon laughed and held it high above his head.

"What's the magic word?"

"Please?" Kai begged, jutting out his bottom lip. Namjoon shook his head with a grin. "Ugh, fine, Namjoon is the absolute best; now give me my drink!"

He laughed and gave it to his brother who immediately began to chug it. "Ahh, brain freeze!" Kai squealed, clutching his head in his hands.

Jimin followed Namjoon over to the counter and held a friendly conversation, wondering where Yoongi was. "Kai seems like a good kid," he commented, trying not to worry about being stood up. 

"He is," Namjoon agreed with a chuckle, "he's bright, gets good grades, makes friends easily, and is really brave. Honestly, even though he's younger, he's everything I'm not."

"Don't say that," Jimin said, looking back at the boy who appeared to be studying hard, "I'm sure you both have your strengths and weaknesses, no need to compare."

"I can't help it," Namjoon sighed, "I'm proud of him...I have to be, nobody else is going to be." 

"Your parents aren't?"

"My father died when I was young and Kai was just a baby. My mother picked up several jobs just to provide for us, she never had time to actually raise us. I raised myself and in the process, Kai as well. Now, she's hardly home; I'm not sure where she runs off to."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Jimin placed a comforting hand on his arm.

Namjoon shrugged, "I'm not. It's made us stronger. We have each other, it's all we've ever needed and I'm sure it's all we'll ever need." 

"You should be proud of yourself," Jimin's comment caught the older by surprise, "you clearly did a good job raising him," he giggled.

"Yeah, I guess so," Namjoon smiled, "though honestly, sometimes it feels like he's the one raising me." 

As the two laughed and continued to chat, Jimin slowly began to forget why he was there in the first place.


	8. Instinct

Yoongi laid flat on his back staring at the ceiling of his basement. Jimin had called him in the middle of a training session. Ever since the earthquake, he's been having a lot more of those. 

"I think I'm done for today," he concluded as he headed for the shower. His dad grabbed his shoulder to stop him from leaving.

"There's still so much more you need to learn," he stated, "I know you're one of the best Nephilim fighters, but you're not invincible."

"Yeah, I know," Yoongi shrugged, "but I have time to get better."

"Maybe you don't." Yoongi stopped in his tracks and turned to face his father.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," his father sighed, "look, I don't want to scare you, but I've heard that the earthquake we had wasn't natural."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning it was most likely supernatural," his father let what he had just said sink in before he continued. "According to my sources, Sonyeondan was an intentional target for the disaster to hit."

"But why? By whom? We're just a small town of nobodies, there's hardly even any of our kind here!"

"Have you ever heard of the Namazu?"

"Well yeah, we learn about that in school. But come on dad, you can't honestly be telling me that you think a giant mythical catfish caused the earthquake!"

"Well, not exactly."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Yoongi shouted, feeling very frustrated, confused and a bit scared.

"The Namazu isn't a giant catfish, nor is it mythical. It's the greatest demon that's ever existed, but as far as we're aware, it hasn't bothered anyone for decades. That's why they haven't bothered to teach your generation about it; I suppose they hoped it had disappeared for good."

Yoongi felt a shudder go through his body, no wonder his parents had been training him extra hard. It didn't make sense to him though, what would a great demon want with their small town? No, it must just be a conspiracy theory of some sort.

"Just be extra careful, okay?" his father stressed with concern. Yoongi nodded numbly. Before his father left Yoongi asked the question that had been bothering him.

"Why here? Why now?" 

His father paused, "I'm not sure, but if you notice anything out of the ordinary, be sure to tell me. Chances are if the Namazu has decided to come out of retirement, it probably has demons infiltrating the town already. Be sure to tell me if you come across one; you may think you're strong enough to handle one, but chances are you're not."

Yoongi froze, immediately thinking of the beautiful boy with red eyes. He seemed so harmless, a wolf in sheep's clothing of sorts. He was a bit irritated that his father considered him too weak to slay a demon. As he took a quick shower he decided he would do everything in his power to prove him wrong.

He would kill Park Jimin and make his family proud. 

He walked to the diner feeling rather chipper. His mood was positive, he was excited to make his first kill. He had slipped his favorite dagger into his backpack, but had a few extra weapons just in case. 

He would take Jimin out to a hidden grove in the forest, it was a rather unique place. It led to a cliff edge with a beautiful waterfall, there was a small path that lead you to walk under the falls and between the cliff wall. It was honestly a favorite place of his, he would simply pretend to want to show his classmate the pretty area.

Right before he opened the door to the diner he noticed his target drinking a smoothie while laughing with Namjoon. The elegant male leaned in and playfully touched the waiter's arm, Yoongi felt a slight bitterness but pushed the feeling away. 

He's not human, he reminded himself before taking a deep breath and entering the diner. Jimin looked up at the sound of the bell and broke into a huge smile.

"Yoongi!" he shouted, rushing forward to greet his tour guide, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

Yoongi forced a tight-lipped smile, "Sorry, I just got caught up with something at home." 

"Is everything okay?" the younger asked with genuine concern, Yoongi looked away, too ashamed to meet his cloudy eyes.

"Yes, everything's fine. You ready?"

"Yeah!" he said a quick goodbye to Namjoon and practically pulled Yoongi out of the diner.

"I'm so excited to see the town!" he exclaimed with a giggle. Namjoon looked from Yoongi to Jimin with a grin.

"Have fun you two!" he shot his best friend a wink. Yoongi stifled a nervous laugh, maybe this would be harder than he thought.

They walked shoulder to shoulder all around town. Yoongi showed Jimin the library, a cute coffee shop, the local grocery store, and the playground. They grabbed ice cream cones from a corner shop and sat on the swing set in comfortable silence. 

"Thanks for buying, but I promise to pay you back," Jimin said while licking his dripping, strawberry dessert.

"Don't worry about it," Yoongi insisted with a smile. He had enjoyed his afternoon spent with his classmate, besides, he knew what he had to do and couldn't help and feel guilty. The other looked so human it was almost unreal.

"Is the tour officially over?" Jimin asked, feeling a bit disappointed.

"Actually," Yoongi stood and held out his hand for the pretty male to take, "there's one more place I'd like to show you."

Jimin eagerly took his outstretched hand and let Yoongi lead him into the woods. He didn't think twice about blindly following the other, after all, he had no reason to. Besides, he trusted him; maybe for once he had made a genuine friend.

...

"You don't think our neighbors are going to be suspicious when their houses lie in ruins but ours stands untouched?" Hoseok asked his grandma as she finished sealing a protection spell around the building.

"Don't be silly," she laughed, "jealous, maybe, but I don't think they're going to look at our tiny house and think ‘damn, a witch must live there!’" 

Hoseok rolled his eyes at his grandma's blunt statement. Every single house on their road had been flooded, except for theirs. Their neighbors on the mountainside above them were lucky, all of their houses had been untouched. 

"You don't feel bad for them?" he asked, looking sadly at the families attempting to repair their houses around them.

"Of course I do dear, but there's only so much I can do. Now come on, let's enjoy the super I made." With one last look at those struggling around them, he followed his grandmother inside. 

Hoseok had lived alone with his grandma in the valley of Sonyeondan for as long as he could remember. He wasn't sure what happened to his parents, but he's pretty positive they were dead. His grandmother never wanted to talk about it though, so he was left in the dark. He assumed they would never have just left him though, so they must be dead.

He didn't mind growing up with his grandma. She was a kind old lady, but wouldn't let anyone walk all over her or treat her as fragile and incompetent. Of course, nobody else knew she was a powerful witch; if they did they would certainly never see her as weak. She was the strongest person Hoseok knew.

She had taught him everything he knew. She never kept him in the dark about who he was; one of his earliest memories of her was when she was quizzing him on different spell memorizations. Because of that, when it came time for him to actually begin developing powers of his own, he knew exactly how to yield them.

While Hoseok would never trade the gifts he possessed as a warlock, he did wish he had someone else to share it with besides his grandma. His friends all seemed so carefree, no secrets or pressure to use their powers for the betterment of the world, they got to live normally. He wanted to be able to tell them about it, after all, it was a huge part of his identity, but he knew that would never be possible. 

"Have you met the new family yet?" his grandmother was saying as she scooped pasta onto his plate. 

"You mean the Choi's?" he mumbled, his mouth full of the delicious noodles, "I've met Beomgyu briefly and have a few classes with Jimin."

"Ah, Mr. Choi's stepson." 

"Yeah-this is really good! Have you met them then?" 

"Indeed, I ran into the lovely couple at the grocery store yesterday. There's something awfully peculiar about them, don't you think?" Hoseok thought for a moment; there was something different about the two boys, at least that's what his gut told him, but his instinct has been wrong before. His grandma smiled at him knowingly.

"Ahah! You feel it too," she gleefully stated. He shrugged, a bit embarrassed for being so transparent.

"I suppose so." 

"You should listen to your instincts more often, pumpkin, they're almost always right." 

"I don't know about that," he chuckled, finishing his plate of food and reaching for seconds.

"What are they telling you right now," his grandma prompted, "first thing that comes into your mind, tell me!"

Hoseok sunk back into his seat and closed his eyes while attempting to hone in on his instincts. His grandma had been pushing him to do this lately, though he was unsure why. His mind immediately went to the recent earthquake; not natural, not right, dangerous.

"The earthquake," he spoke softly, "it wasn't natural." His grandma hummed in approval. His mind drifted to his school friends next, how scared most of them looked during the event, but how oddly calm Yoongi seemed. He's trained, talented, special. 

Hoseok frowned, "There's something off about Yoongi, ever since he returned, he's...different, but not in a bad way. Almost like me, except he's not. No, this can't be right." 

"No no no, remember, trust your instincts, keep digging," his grandma encouraged. Frustrated, Hoseok focused harder. _How much do you really know about the mythical world? You know there are other warlocks and witches in the world, what makes your kind so special to be the only supernatural beings with power that exist?_

His eyes shot open, "Halmeoni, are there...more?" 

"More what?" she asked with a gleam in her eyes.

"More, I don't know, beings with power? I mean, nobody thinks witches and warlocks exist, but we do. So who's to say that other mythical beings don't exist right under our noses!?"

"Whoever said that there isn't?" 

"I-" he thought for a moment, he's fairly certain his grandma had told him that, "I think you did?" 

"Ah," she smiled softly, "I did, didn't I? Whoopsie daisy, I suppose that's my bad."

"You mean," Hoseok sat in complete alertness now, "there are seriously others out there? Why would you keep that from me?"

"Because, it's not knowledge I am supposed to possess, I needed you to figure it out for yourself. Come here," she patted the bench beside her where she sat and Hoseok quickly moved next to her, eager to hear what she had to say next. She mumbled a receiving spell and soon a large, leather-bound journal was in her hands.

"Long ago," she started, opening up the journal with care, "your great, great, great, great-just imagine a lot more greats-grandfather cast a spell over everyone to wipe the knowledge of the mythical away. Not just for the mortals, but for the mythical as well. Every living being possessed the knowledge of their kind and their kind alone."

"Why would he do that!?" Hoseok asked, completely shocked by the news. 

"I believe he thought it was best that way, meant to keep the world in harmony. Here," she handed him the leather-bound journal, "you can read all about it in here."

"Why are you sharing this with me? Do you not think he was right? Is the world not in harmony because of this?"

"I don't think he was right, no. You'll read about it, but before the spell was cast there was a war; a war between good and evil that nobody could fight on their own. The mythical and the mortals had to ban together to face the threat, it was the only way."

"But Halmeoni, there's no need for a fight, there is no threat."

"Ah, pumpkin, that's where you're wrong. I believe that the threat that was previously defeated is back, and there's no way we're going to survive if we stay divided." Hoseok froze, fear clutched at his heart because he knew she was right. 

"O-okay," he stuttered, "what are you expecting me to d-do about it?"

His grandmother smiled, "Trust your instinct."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's a little harder to find fanfiction readers who enjoy works of supernatural AUs 🙃


	9. Secrets

The scent of pine filled Yoongi and Jimin's nostrils as they walked through the forest. Rocks crunched under their feet as they traveled the unused path, in the distance, the chirping of birds could faintly be heard over the rush of the small, yet magnificent, waterfall. They finally arrived at Yoongi's self-proclaimed personal hideout; a small clearing that rested on a cliff and overlooked the falls.

"Wow! Jimin exclaimed, running up and standing dangerously close to the edge.

"Careful!" Yoongi cried out instinctively, before remembering that Jimin was indeed a demon who wouldn't be too affected by a fall like that.

Jimin giggled lightly, "Aww, it's so cute how you worry!" he yelled above the sound of the waterfall. Yoongi felt the tips of his ears turn red.

"You think I'm cute?" Yoongi quietly asked, though his words were drowned out by the noise. He walked over and grabbed the younger's hand, pulling him to a path that was even more concealed than the last one.

 _I'll show him my favorite secret spot, and then kill him. He'll be dead, who's he going to tell?_ Yoongi reasoned with himself. Yet, even after they were on the path, he never let go of the other's hand. He had no explanation for this.

Soon, they were behind the waterfall. The path was small and slick, but looked absolutely magical as the water fell in front of them like a curtain.

"Wow," Jimin stated, breathless. He had never seen anything so beautiful. He reached out and touched the water, the cold liquid trickled down his arm.

"That's not all," Yoongi excitedly informed, he had never shown anyone this place and was oddly happy to share it with the cute demon. He dropped to his knees just as Jimin turned around. The younger immediately looked at the older with a shocked expression.

"Whoa! Um, I think you're attractive and all, like _really_ attractive," he emphasized, "but if I'd known you were going to bring me out here just for this I wouldn't have come! Well actually, I probably would have... literally, but that's beyond the point, you could have at least bought me dinner first!"

"What?" Yoongi asked with a genuinely confused expression, he was still on his knees in front of the other.

"You're not about to suck my dick?"

"Wha-NO! Oh my gosh, no!" Yoongi quickly turned on his hands and knees to crawl into a small cave entrance. Jimin, having no idea was going on now looked down at Yoongi who had his ass in the air towards the younger.

"Oh? Um, I don't generally top..."

"NO!" Yoongi cried out, "get your mind out of the gutter, I didn't bring you here to do anything sexual!" Both their faces were flushed red; Yoongi was glad the cave was dark because he had a very unmistakable boner at the moment.

"It's a cave," Yoongi awkwardly explained as he squirmed his way through the small, low, opening. A few spider webs clung to his face, but since he came here often it was relatively clean. Finally inside the clearing, he lit a lantern that he kept there and waited for Jimin.

While Jimin was wiggling his way through the opening, Yoongi unzipped his backpack and grabbed his favorite dagger. The metal handle felt cold in his palm, the sharp blade made him gulp. He could do this, this is what he's been training for his entire life. He slipped the weapon into his back pocket for easier access.

"Wow," Jimin stood inside the small cave with his mouth open wide, "this is so cool!" A small cot rested in the back corner, imperishable food was hidden away in several wooden boxes, and an old rug made for more comfortable sitting.

"This is my hideout," Yoongi explained, "I've never brought anyone here." He didn't miss the way the other's face lit up at that.

"I wish I had a hideout like this one," Jimin admitted, admiring how cozy the place was.

"Why?"

"Because," he paused to take a breath, "I'm different than my family. They- they love me, but we keep having to move because of me and I see how that hurts them. I think if I disappeared forever they would secretly be relieved."

Well, that should make Yoongi feel better for what he was about to do, right? Yet somehow, it only made him feel worse. He stood and slowly approached the younger, who shyly stayed grounded where he was. He reached out and brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes and focused on how they flashed red.

Jimin's cheeks flushed, and Yoongi couldn't help but find that cute. _He's not real...he's not real..._ he reminded himself, chanting it in his head like a mantra.

Yoongi reached his free hand to his back pocket and closed his fist around the handle of the blade. Needing to distract the younger, he leaned in close. Jimin's eyes fluttered closed, clearly expecting something very different to happen.

Gathering the courage he needed, he unsheathed the knife and thrust it forward just as Jimin, full of hormonal nervousness, took a small step back and tripped over his own two feet. With a startled cry, he reached his hands out behind him to catch himself. Yoongi's dagger met air and he quickly slipped it back into his pocket.

Jimin sat on the cold ground, embarrassment coursed through him. "Sorry," he mumbled, thinking he had just missed out on what would have been his first kiss. He went to push himself up with his arms, but hissed when a sharp pain shot through him.

"You...you're-your arm-you're bleeding." Yoongi stuttered, shock washing over him like waves.

Jimin looked at his sore arm and gingerly cradled it. "Yeah, I think I landed on a sharp rock." He looked at Yoongi's shocked face and smiled, "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt that much."

"You're bleeding," Yoongi whispered again.

"Yeah...that's what tends to happen when someone slices their skin open." Jimin sarcastically responded with a giggle.

"I, um, hold on." Yoongi rushed over to a crate that held a first aid kit. His hands were shaking as he bent down to rummage through it. Jimin was bleeding. Jimin, the beautiful male with demon eyes was _bleeding._

Demons don't bleed. The human bodies they sometimes inhabit aren't _real._ In all of Yoongi's extensive classes and training, he has never heard of a demon that bleeds. When you kill them, they turn to their natural form for a moment before disappearing.

He shuddered, he had almost plunged his blade into Jimin's heart. Jimin may have died a very human-like death, and Yoongi was positive he wouldn't have been able to handle that.

Jimin watched the older curiously, he took a moment to admire Yoongi's small, yet muscular thighs as he bent over a wooden crate. His breath hitched when the other's shirt lifted a little, exposing his fit back. Damn, how was Yoongi so in shape?

Suddenly, he caught sight of something in the attractive male's back pocket. Was that a...knife? He gulped when he noticed the handle, there was a certain emblem on it that looked very familiar...

Fear shot through his entire body when he realized where he had seen it before. A Nephilim had held a dagger just like that one to his mother's throat, threatening to kill her if Jimin didn't surrender himself. But that could just be a coincidence, right? If Yoongi was a Nephilim he would be dead by now.

Yoongi walked back over to Jimin who pressed himself against the adjacent wall. "Hey, it's okay," he gently whispered, reaching over to take Jimin's hand. "I have first aid stuff for that cut."

And as Yoongi gently cleaned, disinfected, and bandaged Jimin's wounds, Jimin forgot all about what he thought he had seen.

...

"Did you miss me!?"

"Absolutely...NOT! Now bow, peasant."

"I hate you," Hoseok groaned, smacking Taehyung on the shoulder, "you're not a real prince, you know that, right?"

"Eh, depends on who you ask."

It was the first day back at school for everyone since the devastating earthquake. Some kids were still affected by the loss of someone they loved or their home, but for the most part, things were back to normal.

Well, as normal as things can be for someone who just found out that there may be other supernatural beings just like himself that roam the hallways of this very building.

Hoseok had spent all morning analyzing his classmates. His table mate in english sneezed and the lights flickered, he wrote her name down immediately. Another one in science class was being bullied for her new hair color, and suddenly their lab exploded and set the two that were poking fun's hair on fire. He even deemed his social studies teacher as suspicious after he caught a student cheating without turning around. I mean, he always joked he had eyes on the back of his head... but what if he actually did!

"Hey, Earth to Hobi!" Taehyung snapped his fingers in front of his friend's face. "What has been up with you today? You keep spacing out!"

"Just tired, sorry." How was one supposed to explain that they were, in fact, a warlock, who was looking for other potential warlocks and/or mythical beings in general?

"Hey guys," Seokjin mumbled, his face taut with exhaustion.

"Wow, Jin, you look horrible!" Taehyung exclaimed; Hoseok rolled his eyes. If having no filter was the sign of the supernatural, then Taehyung would be it. But no, he was just an inept mortal.

"Thanks, Tae," Seokjin responded with a frown.

"Is that any way to address your superior!?"

"I'm sorry, forgive me," Seokjin mocked a curtsy before spitting out, " _princess_ Tae."

Hoseok burst out laughing at Taehyung's bewildered face and Seokjin's mocking one. Before Taehyung could respond, Seokjin was running his hand along the other's collarbone.

"I'm really not in the mood to argue, Tae," he purred, " _so how about you run to class now, oh, and don't forget to bow to your hyung._ "

Hoseok watched with bewilderment as Taehyung nervously gulped and ran off...but not before bowing.

"Okay, that was weird!" he blurted out loud.

Seokjin looked at him with an amused expression, "What can I say? I can be rather _charming_ when I want to be."

Hoseok had known Seokjin for a long time, and it did seem as if the elder always got what he wanted. Could you blame him though? He was absolutely gorgeous. As Seokjin walked away, Hoseok pulled out the book of names he had begun to collect. In bold lettering, he wrote down, _Seokjin._

Now he just had to figure out a way to approach him about his suspicions. Like, _hey, Jin, do you perhaps possess a certain power of the supernatural? I don't have the slightest idea what exists besides witches and warlocks, please don't expose me; are you good, or evil?_

Hoseok face-palmed at his own thoughts, he would have to think of a more clever way to figure this out. If talking wasn't an option, maybe he could _spell_ it out instead.


	10. Science

Seokjin stared at Hoseok in annoyance. The younger was always too optimistic and cheerful for his liking. If it was up to Seokjin, they definitely wouldn't be lab partners, but alas, the universe has different ideas. They were currently studying agriculture in science class. Their normal classroom was traded in for the rooftop greenhouse. The room was uncomfortably hot, bright, and smelly.

"What type of soil did we use for plant B?" Seokjin asked in a monotone voice.

"I can't remember, but look at the pretty flower that's bloomed!" Hoseok squealed.

Seokjin rolled his eyes. He didn't have the patience for this. Lately, his parents had been pushing him extra hard. He's almost exposed himself on more than one occasion due to simple weakness. His ancestors had all learned how to fully and properly conceal by the time they were his age.

His parents had almost made him miss another year of high school because of it; luckily, he had convinced them otherwise. Yet, every night it was the same. He was standing naked infront of them while they threw various types and amounts of water on him. The pain was excruciating, but progress had been made.

Full immersion though, that was a different story. His ancestors had all been able to pass the full immersion test by the time they were at least thirteen. Yet, here Seokjin was, a full-grown adult unable to conceal when he was fully soaked. Pathetic. Weak. They never let him forget that.

"This worksheet is so long." Hoseok complained, snapping Seokjin out of his miserable thoughts. "Aren't you going to help?"

"Hobi," Seokjin spoke in his low, demanding voice, "finish the worksheet all on your own before class is done."

Hoseok looked up with a blank stare before grabbing the sheet and stubbornly placing it in front of his partner. "Finish it yourself," he hissed.

Seokjin sighed exasperatedly. For some reason, he had never been able to get Hoseok to do what he wanted him to. Maybe that's the real reason he disliked the younger; anyone else would be doing the worksheet for him.

"You guys need some help?" Namjoon's voice cut through their bickering.

"Yes!" Hoseok exclaimed, "Jin is trying to make me do all the work!"

"Am not," Seokjin whined.

"Peaches." Namjoon sternly said, "I know you know how to do this, you're a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for."

"Screw off! And I told you to stop calling me that."

"Peaches?" Hoseok said before bursting into laughter before being interrupted by their teacher.

"Something funny, boys?"

"No ma'am!" They all quickly responded. Namjoon returned to his seat.

"I don't fall for you mind voodoo crap," Hoseok started again. "Now water the damn plants before we get an F on this project."

Seokjin rolled his eyes, picked up the small eyedropper and filled it with water. Carefully, he squeezed little amounts into their plant projects.

"No, not like that!" Hoseok reached over and grabbed the dropper, accidentally squirting what was left onto Seokjin's hand.

Panicked, Seokjin quickly used a rag to wipe the liquid off. _Conceal it. Conceal it. Conceal it._ Pain shot through his lower body, reaching his toes. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Damn," Hoseok mumbled, "it's like you're afraid of water or something. Don't worry, it's not gonna hurt you." He teased, moving the dropper towards Seokjin's face.

Seokjin grit his teeth and scootched away. Hoseok had no idea just how painful water could be for him. The younger giggled in amusement.

"Stop it!" Seokjin hissed, as water dripped from the tube and onto him. Pain rolled through his lower body in waves as he continued to use all of his power to conceal. He picked up some dry soil and flung it at Hoseok, but missed and hit Namjoon instead.

"Hey! What was that for?" Namjoon cried out in alarm.

Just then the bell rang, and their project laid infront of them; incomplete.

Seokjin groaned, "Let me handle this."

"No!" Hoseok snapped, "I can handle this."

"Dude, stop. I can get us an A, just let me _talk_ to her."

"Yeah? And I can get this worksheet filled out in _literally_ the blink of an eye. You're not the only special one." He spit out and snatched the paper from Seokjin's hand.

"Guys, give it to me. I'm smart. I can make-"

The stern, yet cheerful voice of their teacher interrupted them. "And I can make you all of you stay after school on Friday to finish the project. Bippity-boppity-done."

...

"Soooooo," Namjoon took his usual seat next to Yoongi at the lunch table. "How'd your date with Jimin go?"

"It wasn't a date," Yoongi grumbled, stabbing his salad aggressively. To say he was confused at who, or rather, _what_ Jimin was, would be an understatement.

"Okay," Namjoon smirked, "whatever you say."

Just then Jimin rushed over to their table, a huge grin on his face. "Hey guys!" He exclaimed, sliding into a seat across from them.

"Speak of the devil..." Namjoon murmured, nudging Yoongi's arm with his playfully.

Jimin paled, "W-what?"

"It's an expression," Yoongi quickly explained, noticing the other's panic.

"O-oh, I knew that." He awkwardly picked at his sweater sleeve.

"You going to eat your salad?" Namjoon asked Yoongi, completely oblivious to the awkward tension.

"No. Salad's rabbit food. Do I look like a damn rabbit to you?" Yoongi questioned, shoving his plate in his best friend's direction. Namjoon simply shrugged and began to finish his food.

"It's odd being back after the earthquake." Namjoon stated, "Everyone seems to be on edge."

"Hmm." Yoongi hummed in agreement, only half paying attention. He was too focused on the pretty male in front of him. Jimin was nibbling on a sandwich he brought from home. If he focused on his plump lips, Yoongi could almost ignore the way the other's adorable eyes flashed red.

"...and it's just not explainable, you know? The electric waves have been measured, and an earthquake of that magnitude shouldn't have happened. It's almost as if-are you even listening to me?" Namjoon questioned.

"Yeah yeah. Scientists-blah blah blah-not possible-blah blah-you think-"

"Ugh, I don't know why I waste my intelligence on you."

Jimin, however, was listening. He was listening with wide eyes and fear churning in his stomach. While Namjoon was chalking it all up to be a strange phenomenon, Jimin knew that things like that are most often the work of the supernatural.

"Yo, Jiminie, you alright?" Hoseok asked, sliding into the seat next to him.

Namjoon and Yoongi looked at their new table mate in surprise. They always sat alone.

"Hello Hosuck, welcome to our humble abode," Yoongi said, spreading his arms in a dramatic showing.

Hoseok rolled his eyes and ignored his classmate's sarcasm. "So, Jimin-"

"Why are we sitting at this table today?" Taehyung asked, plopping his lunch tray down next to Hoseok's.

"Is it national adopt-a-loser day or something?" Seokjin quipped, taking a seat next to Namjoon.

"Rude!" Namjoon scoffed.

"Sup, whores." Jungkook said, hopping over the table to take a seat across from Taehyung. "I learned how to squirt milk out of my nose this morning, want to see?"

"Ew." Seokjin scrunched up his nose. "No thanks."

"Hell yeah!" Taehyung and Hoseok cheered. Jungkook grinned and took a big swig out of his milk carton.

"Wait, not next to me-" Yoongi began to say, but Jungkook had already proceeded to blow the white liquid from his nostrils.

"Gross." Jimin grimaced, wiping some of the liquid that had spurted everywhere off his arm

"Impressive." Taehyung acknowledged.

"I think I'm losing brain cells sitting with you guys." Namjoon mumbled.

"Ugh, my nose burns." Jungkook complained, pinching his nostrils together.

"Well gee, I wonder why." Yoongi responded in an annoyed tone.

They began to bicker amongst themselves. Hoseok was still attempting to talk to Jimin, but couldn't get a word in edgewise. He was exhausted.

It was quite a sight; the seven students sitting together at lunch for the very first time. The majority of them were simply acquaintances, a face they passed in the halls and rolled their eyes at. And while some considered others at the table friends, none of them actually knew one another.

None of them had any idea what the other's were capable of-some didn't even know what they themselves were capable of.

But that was all about to change.

 _Trust your instincts._ Hoseok remembered his grandma telling him. And right now his instincts were screaming at him that there was something special about Jimin.

Something supernatural.

"Do any of you guys believe in magic?"

Hoseok doesn't know why he asked that, and immediately he wanted to slap his hand over his mouth. The entire table fell eerily silent.

"Of course not." Jungkook laughed, eating his lunch unbothered. "Why would you ask a question like that?"

A forced, awkward laugh came from the back of Seokjin's throat. Yoongi looked sick. Namjoon launched into an explanation about how, scientifically, magic was impossible.

Taehyung cut him off, "Dude, nobody cares. I, for one, like to believe in the existence of magic. Otherwise, there'd be no explanation for my existence. I mean, have you seen this face?"

"Yeah, any similarity between you and a human is purely coincidental." Jungkook quipped. Taehyung flung some of his peas at the younger. The loud bickering started back up, but Hoseok was still focused on Jimin.

Jimin was quietly playing with his long sweater sleeves, nervously biting his bottom lip. He refused to meet anyone's gaze, unsure of how to take the question.

Did Hoseok know something? Was Hoseok a... Nephilim? That's the only way he could know, right? Jimin's mind wandered dangerously.

"I have to pee." He squeaked, jumping up and running out of the cafeteria.

His heart was pounding in his ears as he fled into the nearest bathroom. Gripping the edge of the counter he attempted to calm himself down. Suddenly, the door to the bathroom flung open and Hoseok stalked in. Jimin screamed in surprise and pressed himself against the adjacent wall.

"W-what are you doing?" He asked with a shaky voice.

"Trusting my instinct," Hoseok whispered. With a wide swoop, he flung his arm out, and the door to the bathroom shut and locked. Jimin stared at him with wide eyes, okay, so he's never seen a Nephilim do _that_ before.

"You just, the door-HOW!?" Jimin stammered, his voice rising. Hoseok brought a hand up to cover Jimin's mouth in fear that someone may hear them.

Jimin closed his eyes and whimpered. "Please," he attempted to explain, fear coursing through his body. "I know they're red, but I'm not _like_ them, I promise. I'm nothing like my father. I don't want to die." Tears began to spill down his cheeks.

"What?" Hoseok pulled away from Jimin in surprise. "What's red? Who's your father? Why are you going to die!?" He had so many more questions now.

"Your-you're not going to kill me?"

"No!? Why would I kill you? Jimin, what _are_ you!?"

"Um," Jimin felt very foolish now, "I'm...Jimin."

Hoseok rolled his eyes. Before he could respond, loud pounding was heard coming from the door.

"Jimin!?" Yoongi's panicked voice could be heard from the other side. "Are you in there? I thought I heard you scream. Why is this door locked?" The door nob began to rattle loudly.

Jimin looked at Hoseok who had an exasperated expression on his face. "Tell him you're fine," Hoseok murmured. Jimin looked at him hesitantly, he still didn't completely trust the other. Yoongi though, Yoongi he trusted.

But curiosity won him over. "I'm f-fine." He finally responded, silently cursing himself for the stutter.

"You don't sound fine." Yoongi yelled again. "That's it, I'm breaking this door down!"

"Wait!" Hoseok suddenly yelled, wanting to desperately figure the other out. "He's, ah, we're busy."

Jimin's eyes widened and he glared at the other.

Hoseok ran his hand awkwardly over the back of his neck, he knew how that sounded the minute he said it. "Sorry," he mouthed.

"Hobi?" Yoongi asked, his voice dropping into an unrecognizable tone. "What-oh. OH." He began to obviously shuffle away from the door.

"Wait-hold on-Yoongi!" Jimin attempted to brush past Hoseok but tripped over his feet. He hit the floor with a loud groan.

"Don't worry about it." Yoongi spat through the door. "Sorry for interrupting." With those words, he rushed away.

Hoseok reached down to help Jimin up, but the younger slapped his hand away. "WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT!?" he yelled. "Now I have to go explain to him that we most definitely WEREN'T doing what he thinks we were doing in here."

Hoseok grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving. "And what are you going to tell him, huh? That I shut and locked the door without touching it? That you thought I was going to kill you!? Yeah, totally believable."

"I'll think of something," Jimin mumbled, ripping his arm out of the other's grasp.

"Please," Hoseok began to beg, "I have so many questions, and I'm sure you have some too. I need to talk to you."

Jimin looked at the other male cautiously. "Fine. Meet me after school in the library and we can find a private place to talk."

"Thank you!" Hoseok squealed. Jimin rolled his eyes and shouldered past him out of the bathroom. Hoseok splashed some water on his face and checked his reflection before leaving.

After the bathroom had gone quiet, a younger, blue-haired male peeked nervously out of a stall. "I really have to stop witnessing these weird-ass conversations." He mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone have a decent guess on who the blue-haired male that keeps witnessing their shenanigans is? 😏
> 
> Also, feel free to hit me up on Twitter: @ddreamaintreal if you ever want to talk! 💜


	11. Knowledge

Jimin spent the entire next class thinking about Yoongi. Thankfully, he had the class after with him. Rushing into his social studies class, he slipped into his usual seat next to the older.

"Hey," Jimin said with a smile.

Yoongi looked at Jimin warily. "Hi," he finally spoke.

"Look, about earlier-"

"You don't have to explain." Yoongi interrupted harshly, "Whatever's going on with you and Hobi is none of my business."

"Nothing's going on between us." Jimin blurted out.

Yoongi looked at Jimin with disbelief written across his face. "Yeah, okay. Like I said, none of my business. It's not like I care anyway."

Jimin gulped and tried not to look hurt. Right, why would Yoongi have a reason to care. He was probably just grossed out about almost "walking in" on them. They spent the rest of the class in silence until the teacher announced a partner project due by the end of the week.

"Hey, Yoongi, want to be my partner?" Jimin asked the older softly.

"Sure," Yoongi mumbled a little too quickly causing Jimin to shyly smile. "Erm, want to meet after school today to work on it?"

Jimin's smile faltered. "Oh, I would, but I have something I need to do." He thought about his promise to meet with Hoseok and cringed. What would Yoongi assume?

"Oh, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I-uh, it's just I promised my brother I would help him study for a math test." Jimin lied, guilt immediately settling in his stomach.

"Aww, what a good big brother." Yoongi teased with a smile. "Okay, tomorrow instead?"

"Sure! Tomorrow."

After school, Jimin met Hoseok in the library as planned. He found the elder relaxing suspiciously behind a back corner bookshelf.

"Hobi?" Jimin peered around the corner to look at him. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you."

"Okay...you do realize you're not James Bond, right? No need to lurk suspiciously with sunglasses on in the school library. You look ridiculous."

Hoseok laughed, "For your information, I'm cooler than James Bond. Can he do this?" He snapped his fingers and muttered something. A book from the top shelf landed gracefully in his open hand.

Jimin stood with his mouth wide open. He had never seen a Nephilim with powers; common angels and demons didn't possess them either. He thought that the other could perhaps be an archangel or grand demon, but to stay in human form that long seemed pointless.

"What are you?" Jimin breathed out.

"Not here," Hoseok said, shaking his head. "Let's talk somewhere more private."

And that's how they found themselves in the woods behind the local park. There was nothing special about the location, it was nothing like Yoongi's secret place, Jimin thought. But it was away from prying eyes and listening ears. Jimin shivered a bit, it was awfully chilly out now that the trees shaded them from the sun.

"Cold?" Hoseok asked.

Within seconds Jimin was basked in the glow of a crackling fire. He jumped in surprise. "How did you do that?"

"Magic," Hoseok answered with a grin. "What cool things can you do?"

Jimin hesitated. This whole ordeal was bizarre, was he really going to trust Hoseok with his secret? A secret he had never told anyone? Absolutely not.

"Nothing. I don't possess any magic."

Hoseok frowned. "I don't believe that for a second, but let's pretend I do." He paused, "Okay if you're going to make me pretend at least look shocked. I just placed a lit fire out of midair at your feet and you hardly blinked."

Jimin rolled his eyes. "Ohmygoshhh! Magic? Eeeeeeeeek!"

"...Never go into acting school, okay?"

"I'm about to walk away if you don't start talking, rude ass."

"Fine. So I've never exactly explained this to anyone before, but I'm a warlock. Though personally I prefer the term enchanter, feels much more...enchanting."

Jimin blinked. A warlock? No, that's impossible. "Warlocks don't exist," he stated.

"Yet here I am," Hoseok said in a bored tone.

Jimin pressed a hand to his forehead. "Wait, so if you're telling me that warlocks exist...what else exists that I don't know about?"

"I don't know!" Hoseok exclaimed with excitement. Swinging his backpack around, he opened it and pulled out a notebook. "Look." He opened the notebook and pointed to a list he had made.

"It's blank," Jimin said, stating what he thought was obvious.

"Oh, right." Hoseok ran his hand over the page.

Jimin's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything when the page was suddenly filled with sloppy handwriting.

 _Known_ _Mythical_ _Beings:_

_Warlocks_

_Witches_

_Possible Mythical Beings:_

_Werewolves?_

_Bigfoot?_

_Mermaids?_

_Dinosaurs?_

_Dragons?_

"You know dinosaurs actually existed, right?" Jimin reminded Hoseok with an eye-roll before reading the next page.

_Suspects:_

_Seokjin_

_Jackson_

_Yoongi_

_Jennie_

_Mr. Lee_

_Jimin_

_Mark_

"How long have you been making this list?" Jimin finally asked.

"Just started this week," Hoseok replied. "I've always thought that witches and warlocks were the only people with power to exist. But my grandma recently brought it to my attention that we're not. She gave me this old journal of my ancestor. In it, he states how he wiped the memory of the mythical from everyone's mind, including the mythical themselves."

"If what you're saying is true, did he explain why?"

"Something about a war. I guess at some point our ancestors all turned on each other. But here's the thing, they needed to band together back then to fight a powerful creature, and I think this unexplainable earthquake-"

"-is actually explainable." Jimin finished, his heart dropping into his stomach. He had had his suspicions of course, but for once wanted to live a normal life. "You think the earthquake is just the start of something larger and more dangerous."

"Exactly!" Hoseok exclaimed.

"Okay, so what do we do? We're just high school students; shouldn't we tell our parents about this and they can form an alliance of sorts and figure this out?"

"Ahah! So you are a mythical I knew it!"

Jimin rolled his eyes and reached for Hoseok's notebook. Grabbing a pen from his bag he wrote down his own notes.

_Known Mythical Beings:_

_Warlocks_

_Witches_

_**Angels** _

_**Demons** _

_**Nephilim** _

Hoseok stared at him with wide eyes. "Okay, you're going to have to explain; especially the last one!"

Jimin sighed. "Nephilim are half angel half human. They have the power to see good and evil by looking into the eyes of any creature. If you have angel blood, they sparkle; If you have demonic blood, they flash red. Nephilim pretty much spend their whole life training to kill demonic creatures to protect angelic ones."

"And that's what you are!? That's so badass!"

"No, I'm not a Nephilim." Jimin quickly corrected, "I'm-" he stopped. He couldn't tell Hoseok he had demonic blood in him, the male would never trust him. "I'm an angel. My entire family, we're angels." The lie slipped off his tongue with bitterness. Oh how he wanted that to be the truth.

"Sweet! So your eyes sparkle?" Hoseok was staring into the younger's eyes intently.

Jimin smacked his shoulder. "Only for a Nephilim, silly. Which are very rare, by the way. They're more common in big cities. I don't think there's any living in Sonyeondan."

"What can you do?" Hoseok asked, seemingly ignoring whatever else Jimin had just said.

"Nothing too special. Angels are born in human form and live as humans. When we die we'll take on our heavenly form as an archangel and receive an abundance of powers. There's a saying that goes: 'receive your heavenly host when you need it the most.' Which basically means that in a dire time of need, an archangel may grant a heavenly power to an earthly angel; but that's practically unheard of."

"So you have no powers at all?" Hoseok pouted.

"We have wings-" The minute he said it he regretted it.

Hoseok jumped up excitedly. "Really!? Can I see?? Pleaseeeee."

"No!" Jimin said quickly.

Hoseok must have seen the look on his face because he didn't ask again. "So what about demons?" He finally asked.

"Demons are born in demonic form. Because of that, they hold power even when they're disguised as a human or animal. They're really dangerous. There are also demons that are too great to disguise themselves, but they're so powerful they have no need to."

"Fascinating." Hoseok was writing all of this information down in his notebook. "So if Nephilim are half mortal half angel, what are half mortals half demons called?"

"Dark Nephilim," Jimin stated blandly. In all honesty, he would much rather run into a dark Nephilim than a light one. "They're rare, but I've heard of a few cases in my lifetime. Since the human flesh is weak the demon will immediately take over. Nephilim will look at them as demons and kill on sight."

"Hmm. What about half angel half demon?"

Jimin froze, he forced himself to remain calm as he answered. "That's unheard of. In all of history, in every ancient diary and book, an angel has never been with a demon."

He wasn't lying. His mother and he had attempted to discover something, anything, that could explain his nature. In all honesty, Jimin didn't know what he was more afraid of; his current nature, or his fate. His family would become archangels, but Jimin? He feared his fate was much more like that of a demon.

As Hoseok wrote all this information down, Jimin tried to process what he had just learned. Should he tell his parents? No, he decided. They would probably want to leave again, and he liked it here.

As the two continued to sit in silence, they missed the presence of someone else. Someone who was heading to his own secret spot in the woods. Yoongi paused only for a moment to recognize Jimin and Hoseok. _Funny how Jimin's younger brother is looking an awful lot like Hoseok these days_ , he sarcastically thought. Whatever, it's not like he cared anyway, he had to remind himself before continuing on his way.

"So what now?" Jimin finally asked, breaking Hoseok from his scribbles.

Hoseok thought for a moment. "Discover others and form an alliance."

"How do we do that? We don't know if we can trust others. Not to mention, we're not even sure if there is a threat to align against!"

"There is." Hoseok started confidently. "I feel it."

And he wasn't wrong. They'd find that out soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love hearing your theories!! Fair warning: things get A LOT crazier and more intense.


	12. Conceal

Yoongi and his father had just finished their nightly training session. Sweat was dripping down his body and a fresh bruise marked his shoulder, but he was getting better. He was getting stronger.

"Why didn't you tell me about the Chois' boy?" His father suddenly asked.

Yoongi frowned. "Who?"

"Agh, what was his name? Jimmy? Jemmen?"

"You mean Jimin?" Yoongi asked, heart pounding. He was fairly certain- no, 100% certain that if his father ever looked into Park Jimin's eyes the boy would be dead before he could blink.

"That's it! I ran into his mother at the grocery store, such a lovely _angel."_ He emphasized the last word. "We got to talking about our kids and she recognized your name. Said Jimin talks about you all the time."

"Oh, yeah, um, we're sort of friends." Were they friends? Yoongi had attempted to kill him. Besides, he seemed rather content to spend his time with Hoseok. Not that Yoongi cared.

Yoongi's dad slapped him joyfully on the back. "Why didn't you tell me you befriended an angel!? I've been encouraging you to hang around with someone like that instead of a pathetic mortal like Namjoon. You should bring him over sometime, your mother and I would love to meet him!"

Yoongi clenched his jaw. "Sure, Dad, I'll think about it." But what was there to think about? Of course Yoongi wasn't about to bring Jimin over, his parents take one look into his eyes and he's dead.

Is that such a bad thing though? Since Yoongi doesn't have the guts to do it maybe he should introduce the demonic boy to his parents... No, that's a bad idea. Then they'll know he is too weak to do it himself.

"Have you ever heard of a human whose eyes flash red like a demon's?" Yoongi found himself asking.

His father appeared alarmed. "Did you have a run-in with a dark Nephilim? Those can be tricky to kill. If you need help I can-"

"No, I didn't meet one." Yoongi quickly clarified, "I just, had a dream?"

"Ah, explains why their eyes flashed red. Dark Nephilims eyes flash black, remember that. The kill would be a lot more human, but they're very rare, so don't worry too much about it."

"So, is there any explanation for a human to have eyes that flash red?"

"None that I can think of. You should stop eating so much pizza before bed, I think it's giving you weird dreams."

With those words, his father stalked off. Yoongi was left with even more confusion because Jimin was most certainly not a dream.

Even though he sometimes looked like one.

...

Seokjin's body ached. He tried to stretch out in the uncomfortable school chairs, but his limbs still throbbed. Hoseok was sitting dumbly next to him, both stubbornly refusing to complete their experiment. Namjoon sat in silence behind them, confused as to why he was even here.

Outside of the rooftop greenhouse they sat in, rain thundered loudly on the glass. Namjoon found it relaxing. Hoseok found it annoying. Seokjin found it unnerving. Their teacher sat with a bored expression, waiting for the two to complete their work.

"Come on now," she said, looking sternly at the boys. "It's not going to complete itself."

Hoseok snorted. Seokjin didn't understand what he was finding so funny.

"Fine." Seokjin grumbled in defeat, "I'll do it myself." A loud clap of thundered startled them both, Seokjin found his hands shaking a little.

"It's getting awfully windy out there," Hoseok commented with a bit of a nervous edge. "We were supposed to have clear skies today."

"Yeah, well a weatherman is the only job you can have where you're paid to be wrong." Namjoon quipped, followed by knee-slapping laughter at himself.

"No." Hoseok wasn't amused. "Something's wrong, I can feel it. Can't you feel it!?"

"You're being weird," Seokjin muttered nervously, attempting to stay clam. In reality, all he wanted was to get out of this glass coffin some called the greenhouse.

He was still in pain from this morning. His parents had forced him to try a full immersion test again, but he couldn't conceal. It was a very painful process and he was very bad at it. Of course, the rain outside simply meant he would be staying even longer after school now.

As the afternoon wore on, the wind picked up and small chunks of hail began to pound on the glass structure. Rain and hail bounced off the panes of glass. Everyone in the room could hear the aggressive howl of the wind.

Suddenly, above the noise of the storm, a scream could be heard. It was bone-shatteringly familiar and just as eery as it was the first time they heard it.

"Is that Jungkook!?" Namjoon hissed, concern running through his body.

Hoseok nodded, a sick feeling in his gut. "He had to stay after school today for detention; that's definitely him."

Seokjin's teacher stood with a frown. "I'm going to check on the, ah, weather. You three keep working."

"On what?" Namjoon grumbled, "Seriously what am I even doing here?"

"Cheaters never win." She sternly reminded him, "Even if it's to help out a classmate."

The minute she left the room they all jumped out of their seats and ran to get a closer look at the storm. While Seokjin and Namjoon were distracted, Hoseok blew onto their worksheet, completing it.

"We're done!" He shouted, ignoring the others' confused looks. "Let's get-" A loud alarm interrupted him.

"Is that the fire alarm?" Seokjin asked nervously.

"No...I think that's the storm warning. We should get the hell out of here. Look!" Hoseok was pointing to a lake that rested outside the school. The waters were raging dangerously high. The room began to shake violently and a tree was suddenly uprooted. With a shriek the three ran to the door, only to find it locked.

"Why the hell is the door locked!?" Seokjin asked, frantically attempting to open it. The rain pounded on the glass above them as falling hail chunks got bigger.

"I don't know, maybe because our teacher's an asshole?" Hoseok muttered, unamused by the whole situation.

"Why is it hailing and raining at the same time, are we experiencing a tornado?" Namjoon wondered out loud.

"Please," Seokjin begged, wrapping his arms around himself, "get the door opened."

Just then a loud shattering noise filled the room. A tree had been uprooted and smashed through the glass roof. Instinctually the three boys threw their arms infront of their faces. Shards of glass pierced their skin, but luckily nobody was hurt terribly.

Rain pelted inside, soaking them all.

"No!" Seokjin cried, tears running down his face as the rain drenched him. His fists clenched at his side. _Conceal. Conceal. Conceal._ It was like an immersion test, you know, the ones he was really bad at? Within seconds pain was shooting through his lower body.

Okay, so he's never passed an immersion test before. No biggy. This could be the time he actually did, right?

Hoseok whispered something and the door unlocked. Grabbing his two wet, stunned classmates he pulled them inside the hallway with him. Seokjin was now sitting on the ground, crying out in pain, he couldn't hold out much longer.

"We need to get to the basement!" Namjoon yelled, grabbing Seokjin's hand. "Come on, you'll be okay."

"No, please, go. Go without me, please. I need you to go, please." He was sobbing. He felt his toes begin to numb and the pain slowly subside.

That wasn't a good thing.

"Are you crazy!? Do you have a death wish!? I'm not leaving you!"

That wasn't a good thing either.

Namjoon was still attempting to help Seokjin up, while Hoseok was-unknowingly to them-attempting to hold the roof up when Seokjin's strength gave out. He felt his shoes and pants shred as his legs were replaced with a golden, scaly tail. At least the pain of not transforming was gone.

Namjoon was silent for a moment before he started screaming. "Holy shi-what the fu-you have a-what the hell is happening!? Am I hallucinating? Dear glory, am I dreaming?" He began to aggressively pinch himself.

Seokjin stared at his lower half with shame. This is why his parents forced him through concealing tests. By this age, he should have been able to have kept himself from transforming. Pathetic.

Hoseok grit his teeth. "Hey mermaid, you got any way to get rid of that thing? Because holding up this ceiling is really difficult."

Seokjin had forgotten about Hoseok's presence, and now looked at the younger, stunned. "Um, yeah, I just need to get dry-uh, wait." Rolling onto his belly, Seokjin raised one of his hands towards the still open roof door. The rain that was still pouring through immediately stopped short and blew the other way. Using his other hand, he began to evaporate the water off of himself.

"That's pretty cool." Hoseok nonchalantly commented while Namjoon attempted to not hyperventilate and pass out. "How are you doing it?"

"Um, I can control water," Seokjin mumbled, wondering how on earth Hoseok was acting so calm. He must be in shock.

"T-that's not s-scientifically p-possible." Namjoon stuttered. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" He began to scream while smacking himself in the face.

"So, you're a mermaid?" Hoseok asked, ignoring the panicked mortal.

"Siren, actually. And obviously, if I wasn't I'd be a merman, idiot."

"Um, guys." Namjoon suddenly interrupted, his face paling.

"Yes, I know, it's not scientifically possi-"

"TREE!" he shrieked. Seokjin turned just in time to see a large oak tree hurling towards them. Both males screamed, just as Hoseok jumped infront of them and swung his arms. The large tree crashed harmlessly into an invisible wall of sorts.

"What are you?" Seokjin breathed out, staring at Hoseok with confused wonder. He felt his muscles loosen, sure sign he would be transforming back soon.

"A warlock," Hoseok responded with a grin. "It's a long story, and we really need to get to the basement."

Seokjin nodded numbly but was still attempting to process what he had just witnessed. _There are others!?_ Never once had that thought crossed his mind before. As he felt his joints loosen, a terrible realization crossed his mind. "Ah, guys. When this tail disappears I'm going to be naked from the waist down."

Hoseok's mouth formed an 'o' shape. He quickly turned away and slipped off his hoodie. Holding it out by his fingertips he said, "Dry it." Which Seokjin gladly did.

Seokjin suddenly felt the cold ground on his naked bottom. He quickly covered his junk and turned with a glare to Namjoon, who was still staring with his mouth wide open. "Do you mind?" He asked, grabbing the now dry sweatshirt from Hoseok.

"Sorry!" Namjoon squeaked and turned away. So Seokjin was a merman-no-a siren. Wait, what was he thinking? Sirens aren't real and neither are warlocks. Neither are invisible walls and scaly tails though, and he had just witnessed those.

Did Kai slip weed into his brainpower smoothie this morning?

"Namjoon!" Seokjin grabbed ahold of his arm and tugged him down the stairs. "Let's go!"

They rushed down the stairs, vaguely aware of the disaster outside. Running into the nearest bathroom they sat with their backs pressed up against the wall, shaking in fear. Namjoon looked over at Seokjin when the older reached out and grabbed his hand in fear.

He couldn't help but notice how cute Seokjin looked wearing Hobi's now stretched out sweatshirt as a skirt. His classmates were talking in hushed voices, and that irritated him.

"I'm not a child." Namjoon finally spoke, the other two stopped mid murmur to look at him. "So if you both could kindly explain to me what I just witnessed that would be swell."

Hoseok hesitated. "Do you think we can trust him not to tell people?" He finally asked.

Seokjin nodded. "Allow me. Ahem." He turned to look his tutor in the eye. " _You will not tell anyone what you saw tonight. You will not tell anyone what you heard tonight. And you will not tell anyone what we're about to tell you, understood?_ "

Namjoon nodded dumbly, fully captivated in Seokjin's trance.

"Damn!" Hoseok chuckled, "I knew there was something strange about you. How'd you do that?"

Seokjin grinned. "I'm a siren; seducer of men. Let's just say I manage to get my way a lot."

Namjoon shook his head as if coming out of a trance. His wet hair flung some water droplets onto his classmate next to him. Seokjin hissed.

"Are you going to turn again!?" Hoseok asked, a bit panicked.

"No." Seokjin assured, "I can conceal the urge when a little water touches me, though it can be painful. Actually, I've gotten pretty good at controlling my transformation. The only thing I haven't been able to control is full immersion, I'm afraid I never will be able to."

"Can someone please start from the beginning and explain all of this to me?" Namjoon asked wearily.

And so they did. Hoseok told them both about their ancestors' history and showed them his notebook. They spent the next few hours waiting the fierce storm out, learning as much as they could about each other.

The three managed to feel at ease, well, as much ease as they could for their circumstances. The privacy of the bathroom covered by the roar of the storm relaxed Hoseok and Seokjin's nerves a bit. But were they really alone?

Little did they know, someone was watching.

I was watching. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have this entire fiction planed out in a detailed outline, can't wait for you guys to experience all of the plot twists!!


	13. Visions

Jimin was walking home from school with Beomgyu and Kai when the storm hit. By the time they got to the brothers' house, they were all soaking wet. Kai was only planning on staying for an hour to study with his new friend Beomgyu, but by the time the storm worsened he was stuck there for around four hours.

The three, along with the brothers' parents, were huddled in a small crawl shelter. They could hear the roar of the wind above them, and creak of the small house. Jimin shivered against Beomgyu, the two brothers held cold hands.

"I'm glad we're all safe." Kai suddenly piped up. Jimin smiled, the younger seemed to have a very upbeat, optimistic personality.

"I hope all of the animals were able to find shelter," Beomgyu whispered. Jimin giggled, of course his sweet-natured brother would be thinking about the woodland creatures.

"Everything will be just fine." Their mother encouraged, leaning into her husband. But her eyes told a different story, in her eyes, there was fear.

Jimin wasn't a fool. This storm didn't feel normal; nothing felt normal or casual anymore. Everything was laced with a purpose. A thick, taunting purpose. And now that he knew there were other mythical beings that existed, well that just made the whole ordeal even scarier.

"Cell towers are down." Kai casually mentioned, staring aimlessly at his phone. "Namjoon's probably worried sick about me." He laughed.

"Ugh, I'm glad Jimin isn't as overprotective as Namjoon is," Beomgyu commented. "I mean, you're not a child, you're thirteen! He should let you grow up."

Kai smiled sadly. "Yeah, but he's not so bad. It's just, we're all we got. In some ways, he thinks he needs me more than I need him, but that's not true."

"Aww," Jimin cooed, attempting to lighten the mood, "Gyuuu, why can't we be that close?" He teased, pulling his brother in for a hug.

"Because you smell like roses and I don't need the ladies thinking I'm gay," Beomgyu responded, pushing his older brother off with a playful shove. Jimin socked him in the arm, so Beomgyu slapped him on the chest.

"Boys!" Their father's voice stopped their playful banter.

"Sorry." They quietly mumbled.

Suddenly, a loud boom shook the entire house. Jimin grit his teeth and closed his eyes. Beomgyu's eyes were wide with anticipation. "Are we going to die?"

"Of course not!" Kai exclaimed, grabbing ahold of his friend's hand.

What Kai didn't realize was that it wasn't a statement Beomgyu made out of fear. As an angel, death was, in a way, eagerly anticipated. The status of an archangel was anything but boring, and the ability you'd get with it equally as exciting. So Jimin's family, they didn't fear death, they embraced the reality of it.

Jimin, on the other hand, was terrified of death. His fate was anything but clear, and he feared that death would send him straight into the pits of hell. His family didn't understand that. He wonders if they've even ever stopped to think about his eternal fate.

By the time the storm had finally settled, the town was covered in a blanket of darkness. The sun had set and the power had gone out. The enchanting town of Sonyeondan looked more like something that just came out of a horror film. If the townsfolk thought the earthquake was bad it was nothing compared to the windstorm.

The school and town church immediately opened their doors for folks who lost their homes to temporarily reside in. Eight people were killed in the storm. Eight beautiful lives ripped apart in seconds by a so-called natural disaster.

Jimin studied his family's home. It was, for the most part, untouched. They resided against the side of a hill, so they and their neighbors were lucky. The ones on top of the hill...not so much.

Jimin was helping his mother light candles in their dining room when their front door burst open. He jumped in surprise, turning towards the noise. Namjoon was in the doorway, bent over, his hands on his knees as he panted slightly.

"Please tell me Kai is here." He wheezed, clearly having run all the way there after the storm cleared up. Kai must have heard his brother's voice because he came running from the other room.

"Joonie!" He squealed, rushing into his brother's embrace. It didn't last long though, as the younger quickly composed himself and tried to hide his obvious relief at seeing his brother. "Pretty nasty storm, am I right?" He nonchalantly stated with a grin.

"Kai-" Namjoon began gently, "I went by the house first. It's in ruins. There's probably nothing even worth salvaging."

As Kai's face fell, Jimin felt his breath catch in his throat. All of their belongings gone, just like that! He couldn't imagine what that would feel like. He felt his mother's comforting hand on his shoulder, he knew she was thinking the same thing.

"We're going to stay at the church, they have plenty of room." Namjoon was saying. "People will donate food and clothes, we'll be okay."

"Nonsense." Jimin's mother spoke up in a warming tone. "You'll both stay here. Jimin can sleep in Beomgyu's room, and you two can have Jimin's for the time being."

"That's very gracious," Namjoon started, "but-"

"No buts!" Jimin's stepfather interrupted in a gruff voice. "You'll both be staying. Now help us light these candles."

...

"This place is so old, how has it not fallen apart?" Jungkook asked, running his hand along the rough stone wall of the castle he was currently being led through.

Taehyung snorted. "Things were built with more quality back then I suppose."

After the disastrous storm yesterday, the Jeon family had been invited to temporarily stay with the Kim family while they worked on rebuilding their house. Jungkook and Taehyung's parents had been old friends, though status eventually pulled them apart. That's the funny thing about disasters though, they seem to bring people together.

"Your room's right down the hall from mine," Taehyung explained, stopping at a door in the middle of a large, rich wooden-floored hall. "It's quite smaller than mine, I believe it used to be servants quarters of some sort." There was a playful glint in his eyes.

Jungkook opened the door and observed the small room. A single dresser, bed, desk, and closet furnished it. "Thanks." He mumbled without an ounce of sarcasm before throwing himself down on his new bed.

Taehyung observed him quietly. Dark circles lined his eyes, a clear indication he hasn't been sleeping well for days. His normal obnoxious joking was replaced with a pained smile and a forced laugh. Where was his court jester?

"Are you okay?" Taehyung cautiously asked, still standing in the doorway.

Jungkook opened an eye and looked at his friend, confused by his genuine question. "I'm just fine, your highness." He managed to say, enjoying how Taehyung's mouth twitched into a small grin.

"Night," Taehyung whispered, closing the door behind him on his way out.

"Night." Jungkook murmured back to the darkness, exhaustion overtaking his body.

_She was a petite redhead, sort of cute, but a bit old for Jungkook. A short black dress flowed around her knees, and she danced while she sang. Jungkook smiled, she looked so happily content._

_He watched the red-haired girl with dimples and a black dress in awe. How could one be so carefree when the world was so binding?_

_Suddenly, fire sprung out of nowhere, igniting the room. Jungkook cried out in an attempt to warn the girl, but nothing came out of his mouth. He gripped his hair in frustration, this always happened. He needed to warn her, but it was too late._

_He was always too late._

_Fire engulfed the woman, and he watched in pitiful silence as she burned._

Jungkook shot upright, sweat clung to his neck and back. Another nightmare, he had been having a lot of those lately. There was something strange about them though, something he couldn't quite figure out. Even so, they were jarring enough to keep him awake for the rest of the night. He hadn't gotten a full night's sleep in weeks.

Jungkook pulled the comforter over his toes, trying to ignore the fear that flooded through him in the dark, unfamiliar room. _They're just dreams_ , he reminded himself. But somehow he knew that they weren't. In the back of his mind he refused to call them what he subconsciously knew they were:

Visions.

The following morning he sat with his parents and the Kim family to eat breakfast. He noticed Taehyung's concerned staring but was too exhausted to make a quip about it. He sipped gingerly on his coffee, hoping the older wouldn't ask him what was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Taehyung asked, extending a hand to rest on top of Jungkook's. He spoke quietly enough so that their parents wouldn't hear. It was probably unnecessary though, the table was very long and they were seated on the opposite end of the adults.

"Nothing." Jungkook lied. In all honesty, he found the question a bit silly. He just lost his home and most of his material possessions, of course he'd be upset!

"More water?" A melodious voice interrupted Jungkook's thoughts. He grabbed his glass and turned, holding it out for the Kim's kitchen staff to fill. He didn't think he'd ever get used to having "help" around.

"Thanks." He murmured shyly. The girl lifted her head to smile at him. His composure faltered, he felt a chill run through his spine as the glass slipped out of his hand and shattered on the wooden floor.

"Jungkook!" Taehyung shouted, rushing around the table to shake the pale boy.

"S-sorry." Jungkook stuttered, feeling his heart in his stomach. Standing, he fled to his bedroom. His parents looked at each other with concern.

"He's been through a lot." Taehyung's dad commented. "He probably just needs some rest. I'll have someone clean that up. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks, Mr. Mayor." Jungkook's father hesitantly responded.

Taehyung found Jungkook curled up in the fetal position on his bed. His hands were pulling on his hair and tears were streaming down his face. "I'm sorry, I'll pay for the glass," Jungkook whispered, sensing Taehyung's presence.

"Kookie," Taehyung took a seat on the edge of his bed. "You know you're one of my closest friends, right? We tease each other, but if there's something going on you can tell me."

"Y-your staff, that woman, I've seen her." Jungkook finally choked out.

Taehyung's eyes widened. "You've slept with my kitchen help!? Dude, even I haven't been able to tap tha-"

"No!" Jungkook hurriedly responded with a shudder. "I saw her in my dream last night. She's the first one I've recognized from my nightmares. What if they're all real!? What if everyone I've seen actually exists?"

"Wait, back up. You've been having nightmares? For how long?"

"Since a week before the earthquake," Jungkook mumbled, looking down at the sheets with embarrassment.

"Is that why you've been having trouble sleeping?" Taehyung reached out and ran a thumb under Jungkook's eye, tracing the swollen circle.

Jungkook flinched away. "You're missing the point! I saw her in my dream. She was engulfed by fire, that's a new one for me. The others, they were all crushed or drowned. What if she-"

"Shh," Taehyung awkwardly wrapped his sobbing friend in a warm embrace. "It's just a coincidence. You probably saw her yesterday and subconsciously included her in your dream. You feel cold, are you cold? I'm going to go get you an extra blanket."

When Taehyung had left the room, Jungkook ran a shaking hand over his face. Just a coincidence. That's all. Just like the man he had seen on the news that had died in the earthquake, the one he'd seen in his dream the week before. Just a coincidence.

Taehyung returned with a quilt and silently wrapped Jungkook up in it. "You should take a nap." He suggested, even though the day had just begun.

Jungkook shook his head. "No," he whispered, "I'll see her-or someone else-die again. I don't want to have another nightmare, I'm-I'm scared." Shame filled every part of his body, how pathetic and weak he must have sounded.

Taehyung grabbed the corner of the blanket and wiggled his way under it. Wrapping his arms around his friend he pulled him down to lie on the bed. "Don't be scared," he giggled, "I'll be your dreamcatcher."

Jungkook rolled his eyes. "I don't think it works like that, Tae," he chuckled. But his eyes soon betrayed him by closing, and his breath began to slow. He felt warm, safe, and comfortable.

"That's 'prince Tae' to you." The other teased, lacing his hand through Jungkook's.

It was the best sleep Jungkook had experienced in weeks. 


	14. Danger on the Horizon

Yoongi woke up to the loud, unpleasant hum of his family's generator. Fortunately, their house was sturdily built and for the most part had withstood the storm. Unfortunately, the entire town was under a blackout. Only those lucky enough with generators had electricity, and the cell towers collapsed as well. It was almost as if they had been thrown back in time before cell phones and electricity were a thing.

Daily notices were posted up in the town square to keep the folks informed of the repairs that were being made. School wasn't being held, and for the past week, Yoongi had been occupied by just his parents' company. Well, except for the occasional nights when Hoseok would climb up to his bedroom window to chat. Through those chats, Yoongi was informed that Namjoon was staying with Jimin's family, and Jungkook's with the Kims.

That's why Yoongi was currently heading over to Jimin's house. Not to see the adorable blonde of course, but to see his best friend. He knocked nervously on the front door and waited, he had never shown up to someone's house without at least texting first. It was weird and awkward; how did people survive way back then?

Jimin's brother, Beomgyu, opened the door, Yoongi recognized him from school. His eyes sparkled, a sure sign that he was indeed an actual angel. "JIMIN!" He shouted, startling the other. "That boy you never shut up about is at the door!"

Yoongi felt his face heat up as he stepped inside the now opened door. Jimin talks about him?

Jimin walked leisurely into the room as he absentmindedly scolded his little brother. "What are you yelling about? Did you wash the dishes yet? Mom said it's your turn and since the dishwasher isn't work-" He stopped short when he spotted Yoongi, his cheeks blushed pink.

"Yoongi? What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting..." he paused. Looking down at his loose sweatpants and sweatshirt he visibly cringed. "...Wasn't expecting any company." He finally finished, hugging his arms around himself.

Yoongi smirked, _cute_ , he thought. "I'm actually here to see Namjoon, I heard he was staying with you?" He awkwardly rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.

"Oh," the disappointment in Jimin's voice was clear. "Right, Namjoon, he's staying in my room."

"In your room?" Yoongi raised a questioning eyebrow. First Hoseok now Namjoon, gosh, how many men did this guy need!?

Jimin choked on his own words. "N-not like that. We're-um, follow me."

Beomgyu, who had been watching in silence while casually munching on an apple coughed loudly. "Awkwarddd," he sang, before leaving the room.

As Yoongi approached Jimin's shy figure they locked eyes, the red flash was unignorable. As if sensing his apprehension, Jimin quickly looked away. Grabbing his wrist, the younger boy led him to a room at the end of a hall.

"Joonie?" Jimin softly asked, giving a gentle knock. "Yoongi's here."

Namjoon flung the door open and threw his arms around his best friend. "YOONGI! Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you're here, I've missed you!"

Yoongi froze gruffly under his friend's embrace. "Yeah yeah, I'm great-now get off."

Jimin awkwardly slipped away while Namjoon pulled Yoongi into the room. "How'd your house hold up?" Namjoon asked.

"Our garage was crushed by a tree, but other than that it's in one piece. We were rather lucky, I heard yours didn't fare as well?"

"Yeah. We lost everything, Yoongi. Everything." Namjoon rested his head in his open palms. "What are we going to do? Kai and I can't stay here forever, but we're both still in school..." he trailed off, a hollow sound caught in his throat.

Yoongi sat on the bed beside him and placed a comforting hand on his back. "You didn't lose everything, you still have each other. I'm sure you'll figure something out. You know you can always come to me for anything, I know my parents aren't fond of you, but I'm not about to let you be homeless."

"Thanks, Yoongs. It's just a lot to wrap my head around, I still feel sort of...numb. Especially after what Jin and Hobi explained to me, I mean, can you believe that there are actual-" He stopped short, his eyes widening.

"Actual what?" Yoongi asked, his eyebrows knitting in confusion.

"Nothing." Was the quick reply.

Yoongi looked a little suspicious but didn't question it further. The two talked for hours, attempting to forget about the grim situation at hand. When Yoongi finally left, Namjoon sat in his borrowed room with a frown. How was he going to keep a secret as big as he had from his best friend?

Jimin walked into the room, "He was here a while, what'd you guys talk about?" He casually asked, attempting to appear nonchalant.

"Oh you know, just about how he has a giant crush on you."

"What!?" Jimin squeaked, his face turning beat red.

"No, not really." Namjoon laughed, throwing a pillow at the younger, "You're too obvious."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jimin covered his face with his hands.

"I almost told him."

"What?"

"About you, about the others. I don't know how I'm going to keep something like this from him."

"You can't tell him!" Jimin frantically said, taking a seat on the bed next to him. "That would ruin the plan."

"What exactly is that plan? I know Hobi explained it over and over again to me, but I still don't understand what exactly we're preparing for."

"A war," Jimin breathed out, a shudder ran through his body. "We're preparing for a war."

"Hobi's damn intuition," Namjoon mumbled.

Earlier that week, Hoseok had gathered Jimin, Namjoon, and Seokjin to talk about what they knew. He told them that he sensed something big was coming, something they would need to fight against. In his ancestor's diary, it stated that the only way to defeat the threat of the great demon that attacked years ago was the banning together of the different beings. Namjoon was pleased to see that this included humans like himself since, as he pointed out, the odds of them being even half as intelligent as he was low.

"You don't think we're going to need more?" Namjoon asked. "Human or not, Yoongi is ripped. I mean, have you seen the dude with his shirt off?"

"No," Jimin mumbled. He stayed silent for a moment, processing what Namjoon had just said.

"You're thinking about Yoongi with his shirt off now, aren't you."

"Shut up," Jimin hissed.

An hour later, the two boys found themselves standing inside Hoseok's house. It was late, and the warlock was pretty irritated he had been woken up for such a silly matter. "You can't tell him, are you ridiculous?"

"That's what I tried to tell him," Jimin mumbled, shoving his hands in his pocket. He had changed into something cuter; if Yoongi was going to see him for a second time this day he was going to look like a snack.

"Hear me out," Namjoon reasoned, "Yoongi is strong, logical, and smart. He could be a great asset to this team of avengers you're attempting to put together."

"Avengers, assemble!" Jimin shouted with a giggle, throwing his fist into the air.

Hoseok looked at the two of them in disbelief, "Fine. We'll tell him, but Namjoon, if he doesn't take it well, I will wipe his memory of the conversation _and you_ from existence. Got it?" Namjoon nodded robotically. Hoseok didn't mention how as a young warlock, he had absolutely no idea, nor the power capacity, to wipe someone's memory. But the others didn't need to know that.

Hoseok grabbed a sheet of paper off of his desk and quickly wrote something down onto it. Then he folded it into an origami bird, opened a window, and blew on the item. With a cloud of purple smoke, the origami bird flew away, literally.

"Woah," Namjoon and Jimin breathed out, watching with wide eyes the magic that had just taken place.

"It's a message, to Seokjin," Hoseok explained. "He's apart of this too, we'll wait a few hours for him to meet us here and then head over to Yoongi's."

"But it'll be past midnight," Jimin pointed out.

Hoseok grinned, "That's when I always visit him."

...

"' _You've been summoned.'_ Really, Hobi?" Seokjin read the note Hoseok had sent him out loud again with an eye-roll, "I'm not your pet."

"Aww, but I've always wanted a goldfish." Hoseok teased, earning him a smack on the head.

"Shhh!" Namjoon hissed, "You're going to wake his parents up and trust me, you do not want to wake his parents up!"

"Relax, I do this all the time."

"So ah, are we going to throw pebbles at his window or something?" Jimin asked.

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you, Romeo," Namjoon commented with a smirk. Jimin's face turned red, he was thankful it was too dark to be noticed.

The four boys were standing outside of the Min house under Yoongi's bedroom window. His room was on the second floor and the house was rather tall. A single tree stood sturdily in front of the brick building, but the branches were too high up to reach by simply stretching. Hoseok looked at their confused faces turned towards the high window and chuckled.

He slowly reached up towards the tree branch, flicked his wrist, and mumbled something none of the other boys could understand. The sturdy tree branch bent and dipped, lowering enough for the young warlock to be able to grab ahold of. With a gentle snap, the branch settled back into its normal position and Hoseok crawled across to the window sill, settling himself onto it with a grin.

"Impressive, I know," he smirked. Suddenly, Jimin jumped up and grabbed the branch, swinging his legs over it skillfully. How-" Hoseok began to ask.

"I'm light on my feet," Jimin interrupted. "Impressive, I know," he mocked. He stood on the branch and walked deftly over to the warlock. The two turned to stare down at the others. Jimin was standing elegantly on the ledge, his white shirt whipped around his body with the wind. Seokjin thought he looked like a storybook angel. Hoseok sat on the other side of the ledge with a bored expression, his legs dangled dangerously off the edge.

"How do you expect me to get up there?" Namjoon whisper yelled, "I don't have powers!"

"Ask Jin," Hoseok taunted with a smirk, "he has powers."

Seokjin stared at the large tree in front of them. Sure, he could control water, but there was none of that around. He knew Hoseok was getting cocky, it appeared the warlock wanted to make it clear that he was the most powerful.

"Haven't you heard the saying, Hobi?" Seokjin finally responded, crossing his arms in annoyance. "You can't judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree."

Namjoon snorted. Hoseok gave an exasperated sigh and snapped his fingers, the tree branch bent again. Without a seconds hesitation, Namjoon wrapped his arms and legs around it. Seokjin looked at the branch nervously but finally followed suit. The branch lifted back into the air and Namjoon settled himself comfortably on it. Seokjin, however, struggled to find a footing and began to slip.

With a strangled cry his hands slipped off the branch and he began to fall. His eyes squeezed shut, Einstein was right, fish really shouldn't climb trees. Strong hands grasped his forearms and kept him from plummeting to the ground. He opened his eyes to find Namjoon struggling to hold onto him, but the younger managed to pull him back to a secure position.

"Thanks," Seokjin mumbled quietly. Namjoon smiled warmly in response.

Seokjin's cry of alarm had woken Yoongi, and the window soon slid open. "How many times do I have to tell you, Hobi, if you're going to keep climbing into my window at night you have to be quiet."

Jimin let out an audible gasp. Yoongi was standing in nothing but his boxers, his hair was mussed up from being in bed, and his voice was low and gravely from just being woken up.

Hearing the familiar noise, Yoongi's sleepy eyes snapped open, "Jimin!?" He glanced from Hoseok to his smaller classmate. Suddenly aware of his current state he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around his slim, yet muscular frame.

"See Jimin," Namjoon's voice came from behind them, "I told you he's ripped."

"Namjoon!?"

"Yah, don't forget about me," Seokjin chimed in, clinging desperately to the branch. "Can we come inside now? I'm not the biggest fan of heights."

Yoongi stood dumbly at the window as his four classmates crawled through. Once they were inside he gave one last glance at the night sky. The orange glow of the sunrise was creeping over the horizon, indicating that it was too damn early for whatever they were about to tell him. With an annoyed huff, he slammed the window closed and turned to the intruders.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?"

They settled comfortably around his room, ready to explain the impossible. At that moment, their biggest fear was how he would react, but they should have been far more worried about something else. Something that was creeping in from the distance.

If Yoongi had bothered to check the time, he would have realized that it was far too early for the sunrise. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I love hearing from my readers!! 
> 
> Also, I don't write this alone. So shout to my editor/brainstormer for all of the hard work she puts in! :))


	15. Fire

Jungkook woke up in a cold sweat. Checking his phone, he noted that it was only three in the morning. He felt weird, clammy, and scared, but he hadn't had a nightmare. For the most part, his nightmares had seemed to cease and sleep had come easier. But right now his bed seemed too uncomfortable, the room too dark, and an odd feeling of unease covered him. He wanted to cry, but instead, he attempted to close his eyes and fall back asleep.

Every noise in the old house was heightened. He heard the rush of the wind, creaking of every worn-out floorboard, and the distinct scratching of rodents in the attic above. Jungkook was terrified and a feeling of utter loneliness settled over him. Pushing aside any pride he had left, he threw a blanket over his head and fled from his small room. Without knocking, he flung open the door at the end of the hall and jumped onto the large, four-poster bed.

Taehyung let out a cry of surprise when Jungkook landed on top of him. Ignoring him, Jungkook crawled under the covers, pulling them over his head. "Jungkook?" Taehyung asked, pulling the comforter up to look at the shaking boy underneath.

"I-I'm sorry." Jungkook stuttered, attempting not to cry. He wasn't even sure what he was apologizing for.

"Did you have another nightmare?" Taehyung asked with concern, sliding down to level his body with Jungkook's.

"Something like that," Jungkook murmured, "I don't want to be alone." Taehyung didn't say anything else, just simply pulled Jungkook into his chest.

Jungkook nuzzled his face into Taehyung's neck. He felt a bit more at ease wrapped in his best friend's arms, but something still wasn't right. "I'm scared," he finally admitted, his lips brushing against Taehyung's shoulder.

Taehyung shivered, Jungkook's breath was hot against his exposed neck and he had to bite his lip to keep focused. "It's okay," he soothed, "try and sleep, for me, okay?" Jungkook nodded and Taehyung felt the other's breathing slow.

Not even twenty minutes later Jungkook was sitting upright screaming. This was the third time Taehyung had seen this happen, and he was beginning to think that Jungkook wasn't doing it for show or to be funny. "Kook?" Taehyung laid a gentle arm on Jungkook's shoulder.

Tears were streaming down Jungkook's face as the scream ripped through his throat. It hurt, left his throat raw, and he couldn't breathe. Finally, just as abruptly as it had come, it stopped. He turned to look at Taehyung with shame before he collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion overtaking his body.

It's doubtful that anyone else heard, except maybe some of the help; the walls of the old palace were thick and they were in a back corridor area. Unease settled over both boys, neither spoke a word, but they could both feel the tension. Taehyung hesitantly laid back down, but not before taking Jungkook in his arms. They fell into a messy silence of heavy breathing and shivering bodies.

Suddenly, someone burst into the bedroom. "Taehyung," the male panted. Jungkook could only assume it was another staff member. "Fire, everywhere. In the garden, on the roof, you have to get out of here." Alarmed, Taehyung and Jungkook both shot out of bed. The staff member looked a bit surprised to see two men sleeping together, but composed himself quickly. "Your father wants you and Mr. Jeon to go out the side entrance through the kitchen. They'll meet you there."

As the two boys ran down the halls they began to smell the smoke. As the fire grew worse, so did the smoke, and soon they were choking on the thick fog. Jungkook dropped to his stomach, pulling Taehyung down with him, and began to army crawl under the fumes. When they finally made it to the kitchen they heard terrified screaming. Taehyung grabbed the doorknob to open the door, but jolted back in pain and surprise. The doorknob was too hot to grab, so Jungkook stood up and kicked the door open, the house was old so it wasn't too difficult. The sight that met their eyes was one from Jungkook's worst nightmares, literally.

The pretty maid that had appeared in Jungkook's dream was engulfed in the flames, burning alive. Taehyung began to shriek, while Jungkook stood in frozen silence, the scene in front of him was all too familiar. Their fathers were attempting to help the woman, working together to toss water and beat the flames with a wet towel. Taehyung caught his father's eyes, "Go!" The mayor shouted at the boys. "We'll meet you at the nearest lake, now go!"

They didn't need to be told twice, they fled. Jungkook reached out and grabbed Taehyung's hand as soon as they were out of the burning building. Taehyung shrieked and pulled his blistering hand back, it was the one he had burned on the door. Glancing sideways at Jungkook, Taehyung noticed that he was shaking with fear. He used his uninjured hand he grabbed Jungkook's.

"Where's the nearest lake!? Jungkook asked with a gasp. Taehyung pointed to the road that headed down the large hill away from the woods and the two began to quickly make their way through the burning town.

The houses by the waterfront were, ironically, the first to go up in flames. The fire seemingly came from nowhere, the middle of the woods perhaps, but there was no logical explanation. It wasn't abnormally dry or windy, even if a campfire had been left unattended it shouldn't have been able to set an entire town ablaze. Yet, before anyone had time to think or react, Sonyeodan was engulfed in flames. Fire trucks responded and water buckets were filled, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough. The town was in panic. Families fled to the nearest body of water to seek shelter. Even those atop the high hills weren't able to escape the building heat. The fire spread thick and fast, terrifying screams could be heard from everywhere.

Far away from the water's edge and blissfully unaware of the current danger approaching them, Yoongi sat in dumbfounded silence as his four classmates explained to him the existence of the supernatural world. Now, of course, he wasn't surprised by that part, after all, he himself was a part of it. However, he couldn't let them know that. Especially after Jimin very bitterly explained what a Nephilim was and how horrible they actually were.

"So," Yoongi responded in a calm manner, "you're a warlock, you're an angel, you're a mermaid, and you're a mortal?"

"Yes, like you!" Namjoon responded with a grin. Yoongi smiled back; sure, exactly like him.

"I'm a _siren_ ," Seokjin corrected with a pout, "why does everyone keep calling me a mermaid?"

"Because you have a golden tail, peaches."

While Yoongi attempted to pretend he was having trouble processing what they had just told him, Hoseok was attempting to keep Seokjin and Namjoon from having an all-out brawl.

Before a fight could break out Jimin interrupted with a panicked voice. "Ah, guys. We have to go."

"Why?" Hoseok asked, walking to stand next to him in front of the window. He sucked in a gasp as soon as he looked outside. "Is that-"

"Fire." Jimin finished for him.

Everyone jumped up to crowd around the window. Black smoke billowed in the distance, and the orange flames were approaching fast.

"Great, another natural disaster," Namjoon mumbled.

"I think by now we've clarified that they are anything _but_ natural," Hoseok stated.

"My parents can't find you here!" Yoongi panicked, and by you he meant Jimin, but he wasn't about to specify that.

"We'll go then," Namjoon assured, wrapping an arm around Yoongi's shoulder.

"Where?" Seokjin suddenly asked. Everyone turned to look at him. "Where will we go? Maybe the fire won't reach here." It's as if the flames heard him because within a second the giant oak tree they had used to climb up was engulfed in flames.

"Ah, you sure about that?"

"Hoseok put it out!" Seokjin yelled, shoving the warlock forward.

Hoseok looked back at him with a panicked expression, "How!?"

"I don't know, you're the one with the magic hands!"

"Yeah but I don't have a spell memorized for this! And honestly, even if I did I don't know if I'd be powerful enough. Guys, I'm still young!"

"We'll go through the front door," Yoongi reasoned. He would just have to make sure his parents didn't make eye contact with Jimin, that shouldn't be too hard.

They rushed towards his bedroom door and flung it open. A large, shaggy, black-haired dog sat lazily outside of the doorway. Namjoon smiled, "Aww, hey Yoongi, you didn't tell me you got a dog?"

Jimin knelt down to pet it's head, "We can't leave it here, we'll have to take your dog with us."

Yoongi frowned, his family most definitely did not have a pet. Pushing them aside he glanced down at the dog, it raised it's drooling head to look at him. It's eyes unmistakably flashed red. "On second thought, we're going out the window," he said, shoving everyone back inside his bedroom.

"Why?" Hoseok asked, eyeing Yoongi suspiciously. Just then the door burst open and the dog stood at full height, it was half as tall as almost all of them. Drool dripped from it's foaming mouth and it's sharp teeth were impossible to miss as it growled lowly.

"Because," Yoongi said, "I don't have a dog."

Immediately everyone behind him scrambled towards the window. Yoongi rushed to his nightstand and pulled out his favorite blade. While most teenagers kept snacks, condoms, and the occasional sock in their nightstands, Yoongi had a much more practical stash. He steadied his breathing and studied the demon, he had never actually killed one and would be lying if he said he wasn't terrified.

He half expected the demon's eyes to be locked on him, but instead, curiously enough, they were locked on Jimin. While the others were attempting to find a way to safely jump out of the window, Jimin was locked in a staredown with the beast. Both of their eyes flashed red, and it was almost as if the demon was conflicted about what to do.

Suddenly, it made up its mind and lunged towards Jimin who seemed to be frozen in shock, still oblivious to what the dog actually was. With a loud cry, Yoongi jumped in front of Jimin and blocked the animal's attack, shoving it backward. It didn't take long for him to realize that this creature wasn't that powerful, it was more like a guard of some sort, or possibly, a messenger. Which could only mean something more powerful was headed their way.

Though the oak tree outside was still on fire, Hoseok managed to use its branch to ascend safely to the ground. Then, he willed it to help Seokjin and Namjoon descend as well. "Jimin! Yoongi!" He called from the ground, "What are you two doing!? Now is not the time to be having a moment, get the hell out of there!"

Yoongi rushed over beside Jimin and gently touched his arm, "Let's go." He softly commanded. Just then, the demon decided to attack again. With an almost annoyed expression, Yoongi turned and slipped his knife into the beast's chest. Jimin watched with wide eyes as he stood behind Yoongi. Not dead yet, the demon let out a loud hiss and lunged again.

"Jimin," Yoongi said, not even turning to face him, "Jump." Wordlessly, Jimin turned and jumped, not even giving a second thought as to how Yoongi knew that jumping from this height wouldn't affect him. After all, he had just found out about the existence of angels, right? With Jimin safely away, Yoongi rushed forward and tackled the demon. Within seconds it was gone, black ash being the only evidence of its existence.

"Yoongi!" He heard the panicked voice of his classmates outside, "Yoongi, are you okay!?"

He poked his head out of the window with a smile, adrenaline pumping through him. He had just slain his first demon, and damn did it feel good. "I'm fine!" He assured, climbing out onto the ledge, "Can you help me down from here?" Hoseok obliged and used the branch to help his neighbor climb down to safety.

"What the hell was that thing?" Seokjin asked, fear evident behind his eyes.

"How would I know?" Yoongi said and then smirked, "I'm just a mortal."

While everyone looked at him with an odd expression Hoseok couldn't help but notice how easily that word slipped off his tongue. It's not often you hear humans refer to themselves at mortals.

"We really need to get out of here," Namjoon reminded them. Thick smoke billowed through the surrounding air. It was getting difficult to breathe.

"Half of my house is underwater, we could go there?" Seokjin suggested.

Namjoon shook his head, "You guys can, but I need to go get Kai." The worry was clearly evident on his face.

"I say we all stick together," Hoseok suggested, glancing around.

Yoongi rolled his eyes, "Well we're clearly doing a bad job at that considering Jimin's already taken off."

"What, where!?"

"To check on his family, I'm sure. Namjoon, I'll go back with you to check on Kai."

"Well fine," Hoseok huffed, "We'll all go."

"Since when are we friends?" Yoongi asked with a bitter laugh.

Seokjin calmly answered, "Since we all became too afraid to be alone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess you could say things are heating up 😏


	16. Leap of Faith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delayed update! I was on vacation! :))

"Mom!? Dad!? Gyu!?" Jimin yelled as he ran through the front door of his house. His heart was pounding and his head hurt, he couldn't tell if it was fear or the amount of black smoke he inhaled on his way over.

"Jimin!" his mother shrieked while running to meet him. She wrapped him in a tight embrace, "Thank heavens you're okay," she murmured.

"Hurry up, son," his stepfather boomed, he was busy filling some small bags with household items.

"W-where are we going?" Jimin asked, his voice shaky. He didn't want to leave his new home; his new friends.

"We're going to-" his mother paused to lower her voice, "-fly away. There's something off-putting about this place, about this fire. Grab a change of clothes and-"

"KAI!?" Namjoon's frantic voice interrupted Mrs. Choi's explanation. He ran into the house coughing, white ash was visibly contrasted against his dark hair.

"He's in the bedroom," she said sweetly, and Namjoon immediately ran past them.

"What about them!?" Jimin hissed, "Are we just going to leave them here?"

"They'll do just fine, honey, they're not like us. We need to-"

"I TOLD YOU TO HOLD YOUR BREATH!"

"Well excuse me for * _cough_ * for not having an amazing set of lungs like * _cough_ * you, goldfish."

Seokjin and Hoseok's loud voices carried through the house as they stepped inside. Jimin's mother looked questioningly at them and then back at her son. "Friends of yours?" She finally asked, an unamused look on her face.

"Sort of," Jimin mumbled, looking at his feet. He briefly wondered where Yoongi was.

Namjoon suddenly ran back into the living area with a pale expression, "He's not in the bedroom," he said.

"That's impossible," Jimin's stepfather grumbled, irritated that their departure was being delayed by delinquents. "Beomgyu and he were just-" he paused, a look of realization settled over his face as he shot a worried glance at his wife.

"He didn't want to leave," she whispered softly, so only Jimin could hear her. Jimin felt his heart sink into his stomach, of course his brother didn't want to leave, he really liked it here and Kai had quickly become his best friend.

Loud screaming could suddenly be heard nearby. With panicked expressions everyone rushed to look outside, only to see the nearby houses burning quickly.

"That doesn't look normal," Namjoon whispered, pointing to a flame that was hurling through the sky at a rapid pace. It appeared to be a ball of fire and molten rock, and while it wasn't very big, many more of similar shape and size were dropping from the heavens. Mr. Choi looked at his wife with a knowing concern, she pressed her lips together in a thin line before grabbing her son's hand and pulling him away from the others.

"Mom, what's going on!?" Jimin asked, his voice soft and scared.

"Here," she reached behind his neck and clasped a silver necklace with a large blue stone on it around it. "Never take this off," she grabbed Jimin's hand as he stood in stunned silence and shoved an identical necklace into his palm. "Find your brother and give this to him. Go with your friends, there's safety in numbers; but whatever you do, don't let them find out what you are." Jimin's eyes stung, at that moment he wasn't sure if his mother was warning him about exposing their identity as angels, or his as a demon, well, half-demon.

"Are you and dad not going to come with me?" He asked, a panicked expression written across his face.

She smiled softly at him and shook her head, "Your father and I have something we need to deal with here. Now go. Once you find your brother take refuge in the nearest body of water." She pressed her hand against Jimin's trembling face and kissed his nose lightly, "I love you, Chim, you're more pure than you know."

Before Jimin could respond a shrill scream rose above the other screams. "Jungkook!?" Hoseok shouted, rushing out of the door, followed by Seokjin.

"Yoongi!?" Namjoon yelled in surprise, following the other two out the door. This caught Jimin's attention, he looked at his mom one last time before kissing her cheek and running out after his friends.

Fire rose from the ground in front of them, it had spread faster than they realized. "We need to get out of here!" Yoongi yelled, a stoic expression on his face. He was covered in black ash, in his arms he held the lifeless figure of a familiar blonde boy. Behind him, Hoseok had his arms wrapped around Jungkook, who was shaking uncontrollably and profusely crying.

"Taehyung!?" Jimin asked, his eyebrows furrowed with worry, "Is he-" he couldn't bring himself to say the word.

"No," Seokjin shook his head, "I think he just inhaled too much smoke."

Jimin looked back at his house one more time before taking off with his friends. The boys, minus Taehyung, ran away from the flames with all of the adrenaline they had left in them. Jimin admired how, even while carrying Taehyung, Yoongi still managed to take the lead. A realization suddenly dawned on Jimin, they were heading straight towards the woods, isn't that the last place you'd want to seek shelter in?

"Yoongi!" Jimin shouted, quickly catching up to the older. "Why are we heading to the forest!? We have to go to the nearest water source and find Beomgyu-"

"And Kai!" Namjoon cut him off with a huff, barely managing to keep up with the two.

Yoongi's face fell, he suddenly stopped running and turned to face the others. "Those two freshmen went to the nearest source of water!?"

"I t-think so," Jimin stuttered, caught off guard by the other's rippling muscles and sweat-dripping face.

"It's the only thing that makes sense," Namjoon confirmed. The others had stopped running and were crowded around them with confused expressions.

"The rivers aren't safe," Yoongi muttered, his face concentrated. As if making up his mind he walked over to Jungkook and gently placed Taehyung in his arms. "Do you have him?" Yoongi asked sternly. Jungkook nodded numbly. Logically speaking, if Jungkook, the bodybuilder of the group, couldn't hold him the others probably couldn't either.

Yoongi ran over to Jimin and grabbed his shoulders with both of his hands. "Do you remember my secret place?" He asked, staring directly into Jimin's red eyes, somehow, they didn't scare him as much anymore.

Jimin nodded nervously, "I think so," he answered with a gulp.

"Take them there," Yoongi demanded, squeezing Jimin's shoulders lightly.

"Where are you going?"

"To find your brother and Kai."

"I'm coming with you," Namjoon shouted, rushing up to Yoongi.

Yoongi observed him for a moment, "Fine," he murmured, and the two began to leave.

"Wait!" Jimin stopped them and quickly shoved the necklace his mom had given him into Namjoon's hand. "Make sure Gyu gets this, put it on him and don't let him take it off." Namjoon nodded with a nervous smile.

Suddenly the sky opened up and the small balls of fire began to rain down on them again. With cries of pain they began to run again, this time, Jimin was in the lead. They didn't even manage to say goodbye to the other two.

Rushing through the burning forest Jimin tried his best to remember where the cave was that Yoongi had shown him. The others blindly followed, not having much of a choice, but Jimin still felt responsible for their safety. Jungkook was falling behind, so Hoseok took Taehyung on his back. Smoke filled their lungs, and by the time they reached the clearing, they all couldn't stop hacking and coughing.

"Great!" Jungkook shouted as he coughed uncontrollably, "I'm going to die of lung cancer before I'm 30 and it won't even be from something cool like smoking." Seokjin smacked him on the back of his head.

"Quick," Jimin chose to ignore Jungkook and stepped carefully towards the covered path that led to the cave. Motioning for them to follow he disappeared behind the shrubbery. Soon, they were behind the roar of the waterfall, the gentle spray cleaned their ash-covered skin and allowed them to finally gasp in clean air.

Seokjin, weak as he was, decided to not fight the urge and just transform. He quickly stripped off his pants and boxers, much to everyone's dismay, and sprawled out on the ground letting the cold water spray over him. As he gasped for breath in full naked glory, Hoseok couldn't help but stare, for the first time, he noticed just how beautiful his friend was.

Jimin watched in fascination as Seokjin transformed. Having been told someone is a merman is one thing, actually witnessing it is another. However, not being informed that someone has a tail and then witnessing it can apparently be a bit traumatizing. Jungkook stood silently as he watched the scene unfold in front of him, he was positive he was now hallucinating things. With wide eyes and a shocked expression, his exhausted body finally gave out and the poor boy fainted.

Hearing the thud, Jimin turned towards Jungkook and gasped. Rushing forward he dragged the younger into the cave. Hoseok grabbed Taehyung and crawled after them, pulling his still unconscious friend behind. Reluctantly, Seokjin followed and pulled himself inside as well.

They were now all situated inside the cozy, cold, dark cave. Jimin tossed them a few flashlights and grabbed one for himself, along with the first aid kit. Luckily, nobody had been severely injured, just some minor scrapes and burns. Only two out of the five were unconscious, so they took that as a win.

In the dim light, they began to discuss what their next move could be. Taehyung began to stir and they quickly attended to his needs. He coughed up a lot of ash and some blood, but other than that he seemed to be fine. Suddenly he screamed and covered his eyes.

"What's wrong!?" Jimin asked, quickly looking him over to make sure he didn't miss any major injury.

"I saw Jin's penis," Taehyung cried, "and it's _tiny_!" Jimin rolled his eyes while Seokjin scoffed in surprised offense.

Hoseok laughed, "Yeah, but have you seen that ass? You don't need a big dick when you're a bott-" Seokjin cut him off by smacking him hard on the back of his head.

"This is why I don't hang out with you guys outside of school," he mumbled, attempting to cover his now dry and exposed lower half before giving up and stalking over to and crawling back through the entrance. Jimin noticed how Hoseok's eyes lingered a little too long on Seokjin's ass, but he decided not to say anything about it.

"Where's he going?" A groggy voice asked, Jimin turned towards Jungkook and immediately began to check him over for any injuries.

"Probably to put his clothes on," Hoseok responded, his eyes still on the entrance where Seokjin had just left through.

"Oh." Jungkook paused for a moment before saying, "I had the craziest hallucination earlier, get this, Jin had a tail!" He began to laugh hysterically, but his laughter soon died down when he noticed that nobody else was laughing. "Why aren't you laughing?" his voice cracked a little.

"Because it wasn't funny," Taehyung answered coolly.

At the same time, Hoseok answered honestly, "Because it wasn't a hallucination."

Jungkook blinked in surprise, "W-what?" he weakly asked.

"Jin. Has. A. Tail." Hoseok spelled out for him.

"I have wings!" Jimin suddenly blurted out.

"And I have magic hands," Hosoek wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Taehyung snorted, "I know, I haven't forgotten that one time we got horny in middle school-"

"What?" Jungkook asked, his face tight with confusion.

"Well see, we were having a sleepover and-"

"Taehyung, I don't care about your middle school gay awakenings, why are you guys telling me that Jin has a tail and Jimin has wings!?"

Hoseok sighed, and then began to tell the two boys what they had missed. He explained the ancient book, the war, their plan to fight back, and how they don't think these natural disasters have been natural. Jungkook and Taehyung listened with open mouths and wide eyes.

"No," Taehyung finally interrupted, "no, I don't believe it." Hoseok sighed and snapped his fingers, immediately all of the unlit candles in the room ignited. Taehyung clenched and unclenched his fists, _it's all an illusion,_ he thought, _this isn't possible._

Jungkook's open mouth slowly upturned into a smile, "Well now that's freaking awesome!" he stated.

Taehyung looked at him like he was crazy, "You believe this shit?"

Jungkook shrugged, "Well, I've seen Jin with a fishtail and Hobi just lit those candles with his finger, so yeah, I believe them, don't you?"

"I-"

"Not to mention, those dreams I've been having! There's something weird about them, maybe-"

A shrill scream interrupted them. They all jumped to their feet. "Jin!?" Hoseok cried, rushing towards the entrance. They had all assumed that the older was busy basking himself in the spray of the water and weren't concerned when he didn't return right away.

They crawled through the entrance and were met with the low growl of a large dog, similar to the one they had encountered at Yoongi's. The creature had Seokjin pinned up against the rock wall and was advancing slowly. Without thinking twice, Jimin jumped on top of the creature's back, distracting it from the siren.

"What is that!?" Taehyung screamed, clinging to Jungkook's arm for dear life.

"I don't know," Hoseok cried, "but I'm pretty positive it's not friendly."

"You think!?" Jimin shouted as the dog thrashed around with him on it's back. "Hobi, DO SOMETHING!"

"I-I can't," the young warlock stuttered, "I don't know w-what-"

"Set it on fire!" Jungkook screamed, looking too thrilled for the situation on hand.

"This isn't one of your video games, child!" Seokjin yelled as he grit his teeth, the spray hit his human form, but he concealed. Now was not the time to literally be a fish out of water. Hoseok faltered for a moment before snapping his clammy fingers, small flames began to erupt in the creature.

Jungkook cheered, "Now blast it!"

"This isn't Dungeons and Dragons!" Hoseok screamed, and instead used his left hand to pull some rocks down onto the ugly dog's head.

Jimin shrieked in surprise and fell off it's back. "A little warning next time!?"

Unfortunately, the small assaults weren't enough, and the creature advanced on them once again. Its eyes were all black, white fangs protruded from its mouth, and thick saliva was dripping down its chin. They backed up slowly, feeling their feet hit the edge of the ledge they knew they were trapped.

"W-what do we do?" Jimin quietly asked, wishing Yoongi would show up to save them.

Jungkook turned and looked at the roaring water below them. "Isn't it obvious?" he said with a smile. "We jump."

"Are you crazy!?" Hoseok shouted, but his voice was lost in the roar of the waterfall.

Seokjin looked behind them at the beast and gulped, "I think I'll take my chances with the water," he shouted and lept.

"Easy for you to say, fish boy!" Hoseok shouted. Suddenly Jimin screamed out in pain, the dog had sunk its teeth into his leg. Shaking himself free he fell backward into the foaming depths. Without a second glance, Jungkook grabbed Taehyung's wrist and pulled him off of the ledge with him. Not wanting to be left behind, Hoseok took a deep breath and jumped.

What they all failed to notice was the two figures standing on the grassy hill beside the cliffside; a small, glowing object in one of their hands.

"You did well," a deep voice said to the figure next to him, admiring the object in his hand. "Where did you send them?"

"Exactly where you wanted me to, master."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I was on vacation I wrote a TAEKOOK short story called Work of Art. I'd love for you to check it out! 🥰💜


	17. Friendly Stranger

Jimin has never been afraid of falling. Beside the fact that he can fall from a great distance and still land gracefully on his feet, there's the fact that he has wings. Yet, as he fell from the ledge into the waters below, something felt different. As soon as his body made contact with the water he felt a shudder of icy pain rush through him. The waterfall above immediately pushed him under and he was unable to rise to the surface.

He was trapped. Drowning under the rushing falls, his lungs begged for oxygen and his mind felt like the static on a television screen. Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, he was falling again. This time he was afraid, afraid of the warped sensation and the feeling that his limbs were being ripped from his body. Was he dying? Was this what death felt like?

Suddenly, his body hit solid ground. He felt as his shoulder hit first, a painful jolt broke through his body, but when he opened up his mouth to scream oxygen filled his lungs and he began to cough. Painfully unaware of his surroundings he laid numbly as water spurted from his mouth and nose. Finally, he managed to get his breath back, but he was so in shock that he hadn't even thought to open his eyes, let alone move.

After a moment of laying on the cold, hard ground, Jimin opened his eyes and stared up at the blue sky. Fluffy white clouds floated above him, and when he breathed he could see the oxygen leave his body in a foggy puff. It was cold, very cold, but his body wasn't wet. Once again he pondered the question of, _am I dead?_

A low groan brought him back to his senses. Sitting up straight, he winced slightly at the pain in his shoulder. His bare hands were slightly stuck to the ground, and it hurt to peel them off the icy surface.

"Where am I?" He heard Seokjin's confused voice and turned to look at him.

Seokjin was sitting in a pile of snow not too far from him, his golden tail on full display due to the wet substance. In front of them was an empty white plain, snow and ice for as far as the eye could see. Behind them was a thick, snow-covered forest, a well-worn path wove its way through it.

"Hell?" Hoseok suggested.

Jimin turned to look at him, he was struggling to stand on the icy surface he had landed on. With a cry, he fell backward onto his bottom. Seokjin's windshield wiper laugh broke through the silent cold air. Jimin could only assume that once the initial shock of whatever had just happened wore off, they would all be very, _very_ cold, numb, and probably in pain.

Jungkook began to laugh, so Jimin whipped his head around to stare at him. "Hey, Tae!" Jungkook shouted, a bunny grin plastered on his face, "if this is hell, you owe me a kiss."

Taehyung snorted and popped his head up from the ground next to his best friend. "Where do you get stupid notion from?" he asked.

"Remember that school party last year, when Lisa dared you to kiss me? You said, 'Not until hell freezes over' and then took a shot instead. Well looky here, hell has officially frozen over!"

Taehyung laughed loudly, stood and kicked some snow onto Jungkook. "You wish."

Jimin rolled his eyes, his whole body was beginning to feel like pins and needles and they still had no idea where they were or what to do next. He stood and walked towards the others, biting his lip to ignore the pain in his shoulder and leg. "Come on," he motioned towards the path that led through the woods, "we have to figure out where we are and how we got here."

"I think I know how we got here," Hoseok spoke as he shakily attempted to stand and walk towards them. Jimin noticed with a nervous expression that the young warlock was standing in the middle of what looked like a frozen pond.

"Enlighten us, dear," Seokjin mumbled with a flat tone, flipping his tail at Hoseok in annoyance.

"A portal." As everyone's eyes widened Hoseok hurriedly continued, "I've never actually made one myself, but my grandma has. Most older warlocks and witches can make them easily. I've been through them before, though it's never been this rough or unexpected, I think we just fell through a poorly made portal."

Nobody knew what to say, the whole thing sounded absolutely crazy. "W-we should f-find a p-place to w-warm-up," Jungkook finally chattered, breaking the silence. The cold was beginning to take an effect on them all. Jimin felt his entire body changing from numb to hot.

"I can't walk..." Seokjin spoke, looking down at his tail with embarrassment.

"Can't you just like, suck it back in or something?" Jungkook asked with annoyance.

"Not when there's frozen liquid literally surrounding me!" Seokjin snapped back, "It's fine, go without me, but make sure to come back and-" Before he could finish his sentence, Hoseok had scooped him up in his arms, struggling a little under the weight of his friend's tail. "How did you-"

"Magic," he winked. Seokjin turned his face and huffed, it seemed that now that he knew of the younger's status he annoyed him even more.

The five wandered down the forest's path, attempting not to slip on the slushy ice. Their teeth were chattering and their faces turning blue. At some point, Seokjin had gotten his legs back, but not wanting to risk him transforming again, Hoseok wrapped his sweatshirt around him as before and kept him in his arms. Jungkook was limping slightly, he had landed on his ankle wrong when they fell, but he didn't tell any of the others in fear of appearing weak. They were too preoccupied to notice anyway.

Suddenly, they came upon a modern farmhouse that overlooked a large town. Jungkook shouted in glee and poorly attempted to run towards the front door, Taehyung and Jimin were right on his heels. They knocked loudly until a boy they guessed to be around their age opened the door.

"Can I help you?" The boy asked quietly, he was standing too tall, it was obvious the strangers' presence made him nervous, but he was trying to be brave.

"Yes!" Jungkook shouted, "We're not from here, we dropped from the sky-" Taehyung clamped a firm hand over his mouth just as Hoseok and Seokjin appeared behind them.

"What he means to say," Seokjin began, locking eyes with the stranger, "is that we're traveling from far away and are very cold and need a place to stay. _You're okay with us staying here, right?_ " His voice was thick and sweet, Taehyung and Jimin had their mouths hung open, hell, they wanted to let him stay with them even though they didn't have a place!

"Of course," the boy said, opening up the door wide enough for them to step through.

The five students rushed through the open door and collapsed on the rugged floor. They were in a spacious living area, two couches and an armchair adorned the room, a plush red rug sat in front of a roaring fireplace that they all immediately crowded around.

"Where are your parents?" Seokjin asked, probably nervous about the mother. His sultry voice didn't have as great an effect on females.

"They're...out." The boy replied, his eyes darting nervously towards the door. Jimin frowned, he wasn't an expert on reading people, but this boy was definitely lying.

Seokjin sighed, having picked up on that as well, and switched back to his low, gravely voice. " _Where are your parents?"_

"They don't live here," the boy reluctantly spoke, "this is my training house. They live in a house in the city."

"Training house?" Jungkook mouthed towards his companions, who simply shrugged.

" _What city is this?"_

"Seoli, it's very large, I can see how you may get lost."

At this the rest of them relaxed, they were well acquainted with the city of Seoli. It was only around seven hours away from their hometown, travel back wouldn't be impossible.

"We can start to head home tomorrow," Hoseok said with a pressed smile. It was Taehyung who was finally brave enough to ask what everyone was thinking.

"Do we even have a home to 'go home' to?"

The other's gulped nervously, the truth was, nobody knew. As far as Jimin knew, his folks disappeared and his house was burned to the ground. Was there any hope for Sonyeodan? Something or someone was attacking it, that much was clear, but why? And how could they even go about trying to stop it?

It was if they were all thinking the same thing. "We'll figure something out," Seokjin reasoned, "for now, let's just get warm and relax."

The others nodded in agreement, but Jimin couldn't help but feel uneasy. He kept his eyes turned towards the floor, there was something about the furbishings that he had recognized...then it dawned on him; the Nephilim emblem, it was on the door. He felt his throat tighten and his stomach drop.

On the bright side, this meant that the boy and his parents were harmless. Nephilim exist to protect those that need protecting, especially those with angelic status, which Jimin didn't exactly have. On the flip side, Jimin was well aware that his eyes flashed red. One wrong glance and this boy would end his life on the spot.

Since he was so deep in thought, he hadn't noticed the boy approach him and kneel in front of him. Startled, Jimin almost looked at him but kept his eyes glued to the floor as the boy reached out towards him.

"W-what are you doing?" Jimin nervously stuttered, he felt Hoseok shift closer to him, almost protectively.

"That's a beautiful necklace," the stranger murmured, taking the blue stone in-between his fingertips as he admired it, "where'd you get it?"

"It's...a family heirloom," Jimin finally decided on, carefully moving out of the stranger's reach. The boy's eyes widened, he jumped up and looked around at the strangers in his home. "Who has the other half?" he finally asked, flicking his eyes over the newcomers cautiously.

"H-how'd you know there was another?" Jimin asked, gulping nervously as his friends seemed to sense his nervousness and tightened around him.

"There's always two..." he squatted back down in front of Jimin and smiled, "...angel."

Jimin jolted. Immediately his friends were on their feet, looking apprehensively at the boy. The boy giggled shyly, "So they know? Are you all angels?" He asked while attempting to peer into everyone's wide eyes; not a bit of malice in his tone. Jimin relaxed, the boy thought he was an angel, that was a good thing. It meant, given his status, he would feel obligated to help them.

"No," Jimin responded, "just me. How did you know?"

"You're wearing a Blue Celestite, broken in half that stone can communicate with the wearer of the other stone, so long as both parties have angelic blood. All you have to do is say the name of the wearer. Did you not know this?" he asks curiously.

Jimin subconsciously touched his necklace, no wonder his mother had insisted on giving him and his brother these necklaces. "Beomgyu," he whispered as his heart ached, he prayed that he had received his half. "Beomgyu, can you hear me?" Not sure of what he was supposed to be feeling or hearing even if the other had heard him, Jimin let out a defeated sigh.

"How do you know this?" Hoseok accused, staring coldly at the stranger.

The boy raised his hands in surrender, "I'm a Nephilim, half-angel, half-mortal. It's my job to protect angels, don't worry, you're safe here. You can stay here as long as you need."

Hoseok relaxed at this. Jungkook smiled, "Cool," he whispered. Taehyung rolled his eyes and shushed his best friend.

"So why are you guys here?" The boy pressed, undoubtedly curious.

"We fell-"

Seokjin cut Jungkook off again by stepping forward and saying sternly, "As I said, we're simply passing through and needed a place to stay."

The boy nodded, "You guys are probably hungry, let me get you something to eat."

"That sounds wonderful!" Jungkook moaned, clutching his empty stomach.

"Hey, kid!" Seokjin stopped him before he could prepare them something, "what's your name?" The boy turned and eyed them cautiously before deciding that, if they were of any threat, they would have done something by now.

"Taehyun," he finally spoke, a small smile on his face. "Do you guys like soup?"

As the others hummed in agreement and relaxed by the fire, they chatted lightly about how lucky they were to have come upon the house of a Nephilim. Hoseok and Seokjin had been wanting to meet one since hearing about them, and Jungkook and Taehyung were eager to hear all about that kind. Jimin tuned them out and thought about how easily that Taehyun kid could kill him. Even though he only looked to be about his brother's age, he knew that Nephilim had extensive training.

Clutching his new necklace nervously, he squeezed his eyes shut and felt his heart crying out, "Yoongi," he whispered, even though he knew the other had no way of hearing him, "where are you?"

...

"Yoongi, what are you doing? Hey, Earth to Yoongi!" Namjoon stood in front of his best friend and snapped his fingers in front of his face.

"What?"

"Hello! You're supposed to be helping Kai."

"Oh, right." Yoongi grabbed the first aid kit that had obviously been used from it's spot in the cave and gingerly wrapped Namjoon's brother's ankle. The freshman had twisted it after they had saved the two boys from the burning town. Now, the four were hiding in the cave that Yoongi had told Jimin to wait for them in, except Jimin wasn't there.

"What has you spacing out?" Namjoon questioned.

"You're going to think I'm crazy," Yoongi mumbled, looking shyly at his friend, "but I thought I heard Jimin."

Namjoon raised his eyebrows and turned towards the entrance, "Oh? I didn't hear anything."

"I know," Yoongi grit his teeth, "it's like...I heard him in my soul. I know it sounds crazy, but I think he's in trouble and-"

"Hey," Namjoon spoke gently as he squeezed Kai's hand, "Jimin and the others, they're fine. I'm sure they just got lost."

"The first aid kit has been used," Yoongi murmured, "they've been here."

"Is Jiminie okay?" Beomgyu asked softly, looking straight into the Nephilim's eyes.

"I'm sure he's fine, kid," Yoongi mumbled, wishing he could believe his own words. "Oh, here," he reached up and unclasped the necklace he had been wearing for safekeeping and handed it to Beomgyu, "this is for you."


	18. Treacherous Journeys

The next morning Jimin woke up in an unfamiliar room. He was confused for a moment, before remembering that Taehyun had offered for them to stay the night at his place. He breathed a sigh of relief, they could soon head back and make sure that the others were okay. However, a short conversation with Hoseok quickly diminished that happy thought.

  
"What do you mean we can't go back!?" Jimin shouted at Hoseok in disbelief, "my brother-"

"I know, he's still in Sonyeondan," Hoseok finished with a sigh, "but Yoongi and Namjoon are there to take care of him."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" Jimin shrieked, "I haven't even known them that long; Yoongi doesn't appear that strong and Namjoon trips over his own two feet every time he takes a step. I have to go back to protect my brother."

"We can't, not yet," Hoseok repeated himself, refusing to back down.

"SEOKJIN!" Jimin screamed, turning and heading out of the room he had shared with Taehyung and Jungkook the night before.

"What now, Jimin?" Seokjin asked with a sigh, he was in the kitchen making breakfast for all of them.

"Hoseok is saying we can't go back home now, do your mind voodoo on him to change his mind!"

"First of all, it doesn't work on him. Second of all, it was my idea to stay longer, you haven't even let Hobi tell you why."

Jimin pouted, "Okay, fine. What's the reason?"

"I was up late talking with Taehyun, he's actually a very bright kid, he told me about this stone that possesses magical powers that are rumored to be kept in a mountain lair somewhere east of here; the gem of Aine," Seokjin began to explain.

"I recognized the name," Hoseok interrupted, "from my ancestor's journal."

Seokjin nodded, "Yes. Apparently it's the object that was used to defeat the greater demon in the war our ancestors all fought in."

"According to my great grandfather's journal, a divine angel sealed the stone in a protected lair, and to prevent the wrong person from getting it, only those who have angelic blood flowing through them can break the seal."

"So that's why you can't go back," Seokjin continued, "we need your angelic blood to break the seal once we find the stone. We're going to save our home and we can't do it without you!"

"Doesn't Taehyun have angelic blood?" Jimin pointed out, the younger was a Nephilim after all.

"As much as the boy has grown on me over the night," Hoseok began, "I don't trust him to stick out the entire journey with us, he has a family to come home to at the end of the night. Right now, I'm not sure if we do."

"So you're telling me that I can't go back home because we are going to search for a rock!?" Jimin shouted, frustration bubbling out of him, "A rock that we have no idea where to find or even if it for sure exists!?"

"Yeah, basically," Seokjin responded with a shrug.

"UGH!" Jimin shouted, kicking the kitchen counter in frustration and immediately regretting it when his toe began to throb.

"Hey! Don't break my counter!" A voice met Jimin's ears. He turned to face Taehyun, who had just walked through the front door with Taehyung and Jungkook in tow. The three had red faces and runny noses from the cold, but they all wore huge smiles.

"Did you have fun exploring?" Seokjin asked as Hoseok set the table for breakfast.

"Yes!" Jungkook shouted, jumping on the balls of his feet with glee. "You should have come with! The city is beautiful and we don't get snow like this in Sonyeondan!"

"And Taehyun is really intelligent, he was a great tour guide!" Taehyung added with a smile, ruffling Taehyun's hair.

Taehyun smiled sheepishly, "Thanks," he mumbled shyly, "I have to say, it's a bit nerve-wracking being in the company of a real-life prince!"

Seokjin spit out the milk he had just taken a drink of into Hoseok's surprised face. Jimin broke into a muffled grin, the first smile since he heard of the decision to not head home right away. As the warlock yelled in irritation, Jungkook grinned and bowed slightly to Taehyun, "That's right," he smoothly said, "Prince Taehyung is very grateful for your services to us."

"Wow," Taehyun breathed, "a prince and an angel in my house, it's an honor, really."

Jimin's grin faltered as he remembered Taehyun's status, his eyes quickly made contact with the wooden floor. "I don't know why I decided to keep company with you guys," Seokjin grumbled, running his hands through his hair while letting out a stressful sigh.

"I will literally turn you into a toad," Hoseok grumbled, wringing his milk-soaked shirt out.

Seokjin walked up to the young warlock and brought his lips to his ear with a smirk, "I'd like to see you try," he whispered.

Hoseok pulled away, his face flushed; maybe the siren's charm did have an effect on him...

It was close to evening by the time the group of students began their journey to find the gem of Aine. Jimin brought up the rear, his arms crossed as he grumbled about the cold. Jungkook walked in front with Taehyun, the Nephilim had insisted on coming, and since he knew the land the best, they figured it couldn't hurt to have a guide. Couldn't hurt unless you're Jimin...or possibly Taehyung.

"Are you ever going to tell him you're not a real prince?" Hoseok asked Taehyung with a small giggle. Taehyung looked at their young guide who was chatting enthusiastically with Jungkook, who at that moment had his head thrown back in laughter.

"No," Taehyung responded with a frown, "I'm more intimidating with that title."

"Why do you need to be intimidating?" Hoseok asked with a laugh, but as he followed Taehyung's stare he hummed with understanding. "Jungkook and you have been best friends since middle school," he reminded the other, "he's not going to become better friends with a freshman he just met."

"I know that," Taehyung huffed, but he still felt a slight pang in his chest as he watched his best friend intertwine his arm with Taehyun's.

"Hey, Jimin," Seokjin yelled, slowing his walk to fall in step with him, "try to cheer up!" he encouraged, hating seeing the usually bubbly soul so down, "Finding this stone will help your brother."

"I know," Jimin sighed, reaching up to nervously play with his necklace, "I just really miss him." His fingers clasped around the stone on his neck as he whispered, "Beomgyu, I'll come back, I promise."

Meanwhile, that same day back in Sonyeondan, Yoongi and Namjoon found themselves hiking through the woods with the younger boys in tow.

"Are you sure we're not lost?" Namjoon asked Yoongi with a frown, stepping over a fallen, charred tree.

"I'm sure," Yoongi lied, leading the three boys around another turn in the blackened woods.

The fire had stopped overnight, but the entire town was left with fear and confusion. Many had died, and many more were injured. Tents for hospitals and sleeping areas were set up all around the town, but people were terrified of what was next. Some thought the disasters were as simple as unfortunate luck, while others believed God to be smiting them. Either way, nobody felt safe. Many had begun a journey on foot to the next town, but that journey would take days and some were simply too weak to make it.

"So you think there's another disaster heading our way?" Beomgyu asked, his eyes wide with concern. Kai was half hanging off of his shoulder, hopping on one foot to keep from injuring his swollen ankle any further.

Yoongi thought back to what his father had told him, "Yes," he finally answered, "I do."

It was nightfall by the time the four boys came to the edge of a cliff, Yoongi stared down the dark abyss and gulped; he had no idea where they were. He had promised the boys that he could get them back to town the long way to avoid the small fire that was still blazing across the usual path, but it was now almost too dark to see his own hand and they were completely and utterly lost. He heard a slow clap behind him and turned to see Namjoon shaking his head with a tsk.

"Bravo, Yoongi, you officially lead us to the middle of nowhere," he said sarcastically.

"Shut up, Joon," Yoongi growled. A loud snap from the woods behind them caused him to whip around, his training kicking in full force. Though through the darkened trees he saw nothing.

"Are we going to be okay?" Beomgyu whispered, tightening his grip on Kai's arm who was clinging onto his brother. With the nightfall came a slight cold front, and since their eyesight was hindered, their other senses became stronger. Every creak of a tree branch or scratch from an animal could be heard, unarmed in the woods wasn't the safest place to be in the middle of the night, especially with the spiritual activity that had been going on lately.

"We'll be fine," Yoongi promised, "we just have to find a way to get across this cavern."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Kai mumbled, "Grow a pair of wings or something?" he sarcastically added.

Yoongi's head snapped to look at Beomgyu, "I mean...do you think you'd be strong enough to carry us one at a time?"

Beomgyu's eyes widened, "W-what?" he began to awkwardly choke, "how would that help?"

"Your wings," Yoongi said with a shrug as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"His what now!?" Kai shouted, slapping his hand over his face, "Namjoon, your best friend has officially lost it, I told you he would snap one of these days."

Namjoon shushed him as Beomgyu stared at the Nephilim intently. "You know?" Beomgyu finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Well yeah, your brother-" Yoongi began to say but stopped, Jimin had never mentioned that his brother was an angel. "Your brother told us that he was an angel so I just assumed..." he trailed off, watching as Beomgyu's eyes widened even further.

"Why would my brother tell you he was an angel? And why would you believe him!?"

Namjoon chuckled, "Well after Hobi levitated a ceiling and Jin grew a tail, Jimin telling us he was an angel wasn't that difficult to believe. And then there was that demon dog-"

"What!?" Beomgyu shrieked, confusion settling over his face.

Yoongi sighed, "Angels and demons aren't the only supernatural beings to exist. Hobi is a warlock and Jin is a mermaid, and who knows what else is out there!"

"Hey Namjoon," Namjoon turned towards his brother who was tugging softly on his arm, "pinch me, I think I'm having a nightmare I can't wake up from."

"It's not a nightmare, buddy," Namjoon said with a sigh, "I'll explain in detail later, okay?"

Kai nodded dumbly, for once he was speechless. Beside him, Beomgyu was casually removing his shirt and stretching his arms and legs out.

"What are you doing?" Yoongi asked in disbelief, "are you trying to freeze to death?"

Beomgyu glared at him, "Do you want to get across this abyss or not?" he grumbled as Yoongi held up his hands in surrender. "I've never done this infront of mortals before," the angel said with a grin. Suddenly, bright, white wings unfolded from his back. Each wing looked to be the height of Beomgyu, the pure whiteness was blinding and cast a glow to the area around them.

"Woah," Yoongi murmured, he had never seen angel wings up close before.

"Holy shi-" Kai began to say, stumbling backward into his older brother.

Namjoon slapped a hand over his mouth, "No swearing," he scolded, "but holy shit..."

"Cool, right?" Beomgyu said with a grin. "I'm going to fly across, make sure the winds aren't terrible and then come back to take you guys one at a time, okay?"

With those words, he began to run forward towards the cliff's edge. The other boys watched in awe as he leaped-

And was promptly brought down to the ground by a shadowy figure that everyone had failed to notice. With a cry of pain, Beomgyu landed on his back, his beautiful wings harshly scraped against the ground. Without a second thought Yoongi's instincts kicked in, this was an _angel._ The soul creatures that Nephilim are raised and trained to protect.

With a cry he rushed forward, throwing the figure off of Beomgyu. It was another boy. Yoongi had his hand closed around the boy's throat and his knife pulled, but when he stared into his eyes he saw nothing but blue...the assaulter had no angel or demon blood in him.

Instead of killing the boy, he loosened his grip and hissed, "Who are you?"

The raven-haired stranger growled lowly, "I just saved your friend's life, you should be thanking me, not holding a knife to my cheek."

"You hurt him," Yoongi argued, catching a glimpse of Namjoon helping the angel off the ground, his wings folded once again into his scarred back.

"That cavern," the stranger motioned to the abyss beside them, "sucks away all magical power. Your buddy over there would have lost his ability to fly and fallen to his death," he growled, "so I just saved his life."

Yoongi warily let the stranger sit up, but kept the knife close as a silent threat. "How do you know that?"

"I've seen it happen."

"What are you?"

The raven-haired boy stared intently at Yoongi before narrowing his eyes, "I'm a mortal," he growled.

"You're lying," Yoongi hissed, pushing the knife lightly against the stranger's exposed shoulder.

The boy snarled and in an instant had the Nephilim pinned to the ground with impressive strength. Seeing the look of panic cross Yoongi's face satisfied the boy enough to break into a wide grin. Yoongi's eyes widened, sharp fangs were visible amongst the stranger's pearly whites.

"I'm a werewolf," the stranger growled, sitting back to pull Yoongi up, "the name's Soobin," he broke into a small smile, "and I guess I've decided to trust you."

Suddenly, Beomgyu let out a loud cry. Yoongi forgot about his momentary shock to turn and face the other.

"Jimin!?" Beomgyu was crying now, clutching his head, "I can hear him! I can hear Jimin!"

Namjoon wrapped a concerned arm around the younger and stared at his best friend, his face clearly showed that he had no idea what was going on.

The newcomer, Soobin, shook his head, "Maybe I hit into him a little too hard," he mumbled, "Come on, the woods are dangerous at night, _trust me._ " He grabbed Yoongi's arm and pulled him towards the thick trees, "You guys can stay with me tonight."

At this point, they didn't have a better option.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! You may have noticed that a new author has been added to this fiction. My co-author, Bry, finally got herself an AO3 account! 🥰💜


	19. Deep Slumber

Yoongi looked over at his best friend and smiled, Namjoon was sound asleep on a mat in the corner of the tiny cabin they were staying in. Kai was curled up safely in-between the wall and his big brother, snoring softly. Beside them, Beomgyu sat quietly on a wooden chair, gazing longingly out the window. He had his fist wrapped around the blue stone necklace, a nervous habit he had quickly picked up.

"You should get some rest too," Soobin said, setting a hot cup of tea down on the table in front of the Nephilim, "lack of sleep does nobody any good."

Yoongi gingerly picked up the drink and sipped on the slightly bitter, yet calming liquid. "I have too many questions," he murmured, "I won't be able to sleep."

"Well maybe I can help then," the raven-haired boy offered, taking a seat at the wicker table across from his new companion, "what questions do you have?"

Yoongi chuckled dryly, "What questions don't I have?" he softly responded. "In a matter of days, Sonyeondan has gone from a peaceful, normal small town to a supernatural filled wreck!"

Soobin hummed softly, glancing over at the other occupants in the room he pointed out, "Yet you seem to be taking in all of this better than your friends, why's that?"

Yoongi ignored the intrusive question, "So you're a werewolf," he stated, wrapping both of his hands around his warm mug, "how does that work?"

If Soobin was phased by the subject change he didn't show it. "It's pretty simple," he started, letting his fangs slip from his gums, "I can change from human form to wolf form at will and have keen eyesight and hearing, that's all."

Yoongi nodded numbly, "Oh yeah," he weakly replied, "that's all."

"My turn," Soobin said, leaning back and crossing his arms, "why were you and your friends so deep in the woods so late at night?"

"We got lost," Yoongi admitted, "we were attempting to get back to our town without being burned alive. If you haven't noticed it's a dangerous mess out there."

Soobin nodded, "I've noticed. When my parents are gone like they are now, I have to head into town to shop for myself. There's been some unexplainable stuff happening lately."

"Speaking of your parents, where are they?"

"They're off on a hunting trip. Once a month a group of werewolves get together a few towns over and indulge their primal urges, anyone over the age of eighteen can join them, I'm only sixteen."

Yoongi looked at Soobin hesitantly, he was too afraid to ask what he meant by 'primal urges.'

"You weren't surprised," he finally said, "at least, you didn't appear to be surprised when you saw someone sprout wings, why?"

Soobin shook his head, "Nope, it's my turn to ask a question. Why were you outside of your town in the first place?"

Yoongi sighed, this kid frustrated him. "We were fleeing from the fire," he started, taking another sip of his now cool tea, "but we got separated from a few of our friends and can't find them now."

"They aren't back in town?"

"I don't know," Yoongi sighed deeply, "they were supposed to meet us at a special spot, but when we got there they were gone."

Soobin was silent for a moment. "The waterfall," he finally whispered, "the one with the cave behind it, you were going to meet them there?"

Yoongi shot out of his seat, "How do you know that!?" he hissed, coming around to the other side of the table and shoving the young werewolf back into it. Soobin's eyes widened in surprise, but then quickly hardened with stubbornness. Standing up he shoved Yoongi off of him with impressive strength.

"Don't touch me," he growled lowly, glancing at where the others were sleeping. Beomgyu had finally nodded off, his face pressed against the windowpane. "I practically live alone in these woods, my parents don't want me to have mortals as friends. They tell me to stay put and be patient, that I'll make plenty of friends during the hunts when I turn eighteen, but I get...I get lonely." He loosened his grip on Yoongi's collar and shoved the other away recklessly.

"So I people watch," he continued to explain, "I slip through town unnoticed, observing how others my age have plenty of friends and parents that don't leave them alone. It's funny because some people, people like you, seem to want to be alone, to escape. I've seen you spend hours by yourself by that waterfall, perfectly content, taking for granted the beautiful life you have."

"You've watched me!?" Yoongi cried out in alarm, "dude, that's creepy."

"No, not in a creepy way," Soobin growled, his eyebrows drawn in a scowl, "in an observant way. It's next to one of my favorite places in the woods."

Yoongi sighed and ran a hand over his face, Soobin seemed harmless enough, but his actions were a bit off-putting. "Did you see them?" he finally asked. "My friends, did you see where they went?"

Soobin nodded slowly. Yoongi rushed forward, "Oh thank goodness, where did they go!?"

"I-" Soobin scratched his arm nervously, "I don't know."

"But you just said you saw them!?"

"I did see them. They were carrying one into the cave, and the tall man grew a tail...I have to say, that's a new one for me. Anyway, the one with the tail started yelling, there was a large creature, sort of looked like me but I knew it wasn't a werewolf. It cornered them so they," Soobin paused and gulped nervously, "they jumped into the waterfall."

Yoongi's eyes widened, "No," he whispered, shooting a glance in the sleeping males' direction to make sure they weren't listening. "There is no way any of them could have survived that jump except for maybe fish boy, I refuse to believe it." His bottom lip quivered, but he quickly stilled it and stood up taller, Jimin was alive. They were all alive.

"That's the thing," Soobin said, "I don't think they ever hit the water."

"What?"

"Well, right after they jumped, there was this flash of neon green and they all disappeared."

"People can't just disappear," Yoongi argued, his head was beginning to hurt.

"And I thought people couldn't grow tails or wings, but look where we are now!"

"I don't understand," Yoongi continued, "if they never hit the water...where are they?"

"I don't know," Soobin admitted, "but I do think I know someone we can ask for help."

Yoongi looked up quickly, "Who!?" at this point he was willing to try anything.

Soobin looked down at his feet in embarrassment, "Well you know how I said I like to people watch?"

"You mean your hobby of stalking people? Yeah."

Soobin glared at Yoongi before continuing, "There's this boy I like to observe, he looks like he's my age and always seems to be alone...just like me." His face flushed a little, "I've always wanted to talk to him, but have never had the courage to, he seems so happy despite being alone. He's always smiling, he has a really cute smile, and his hair is bright blue! And when he laughs-"

"Okay," Yoongi interrupted, "so you've fallen in love with the random boy you stalk, congratulations. Now how does that help me?"

Soobin had a shocked expression on his face, "I am not-you can't just assume...I mean he's cute but-"

"Kid, I don't care."

"Fine," Soobin scoffed, visibly upset, "I've seen him do things with his hands." Yoongi raised an eyebrow. "Not _those_ kinds of things, oh my gosh," Soobin's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, "I've seen him move things without touching them, and snap his fingers to make things appear or disappear...just like what happened to your friends!"

Yoongi thought for a moment, "A warlock," he finally whispered, jumping back on the balls of his feet in excitement, "like Hobi, he sounds like he has magic."

Soobin crinkled his nose, "What's a Hobi?"

Yoongi rolled his eyes, "Nevermind, let's go talk to this boy you stalk!"

Soobin laughed, "It's past midnight, no way. You're going to get some sleep first, and then we'll all go find him tomorrow, deal?"

Yoongi was about to protest, but realized the kid was right, "Fine," he grumbled reluctantly.

Soobin smiled widely, he would never admit it, but he was excited for their adventure tomorrow. He would finally have an excuse to talk to the lonely boy with the pretty blue hair. 

That same day, far away from the persistent Nephilim and eager werewolf, Taehyun continued to lead his new allies towards the direction of the gem they sought after.

"My feet hurrrtt," Taehyung whined, leaning against his best friend's shoulder.

Jungkook rolled his eyes and pushed him away, "We've only been walking for about twenty minutes, you big baby."

"How much longerrrr," Taehyung continued to complain.

Jungkook looked down at the ankle he had hurt the other day, it was hardly noticeable now. With a small sigh, he turned and hoisted his friend onto his back; Taehyung squealed, not expecting the playful gesture.

Taehyun glanced over at the two boys and shook his head, "Conserve your energy," he solemnly advised, "we have a long walk ahead of us."

And he wasn't lying. An hour later, Seokjin was the first to collapse on the snow-covered ground, his feet aching and body numb from the exertion and cold. Despite him wearing heavy boots and a long water resistant jacket that he had borrowed from Taehyun, Hoseok was worried the snow could seep through the material and possibly cause the siren discomfort. With feigned irritation, the young warlock lifted him slightly and slid into a seated position under him, while Jungkook and Taehyung collapsed together, landing in a mess of tangled limbs. Taehyun and Jimin stood unphased by the long travel and looked down at their companions with annoyance.

"What are you two, robots!?" Jungkook yelled in exhaustion, the cold burning through his lungs as he gasped for breath.

"No, but I am a celestial being," Jimin reminded him with a small smile. Angels were naturally light on their feet so long distances didn't really have an effect on him. He closed his eyes and let the peaceful forest noises rush over him, the scent of pine filled his nose, squirrels and other woodland creatures scurried over the trees and ground around them.

"I've just had a lot of training," Taehyun said with a shrug, he poked Jungkook's side teasingly with the toe of his boot, "and I'm in shape."

Jungkook scowled, "I'm fit! I just had to carry his fatass half of the way," he grumbled, pointing a finger at Taehyung.

Taehyung feigned offense with a gasp and quickly pinned Jungkook under him, demanding that he take it back. Taehyun rolled his eyes and walked to stand next to Jimin. The self-proclaimed angel had his eyes fixated on the trees above him, not daring to make eye contact with their guide.

"How much longer?" Jimin asked, studying a squirrel that was munching on a nut on a branch above them.

"I don't know," Taehyun confessed, "I've only heard of the general whereabouts of the sought after gem from my parents, I don't think anyone really knows _exactly_ where it is."

Jimin turned to look at Taehyun with an appalled expression, his eyes quickly focusing on frozen ground, "I thought you said you knew where it was?"

"No, I said I could find it. Which I can...I'm just not sure how long that will take."

Jimin scoffed and kicked a frozen leaf with his numb, sneaker-clad feet, "So this whole thing has just been a wild goose chase? I have a little brother back home, about your age actually, that I need to get back to. Instead, I'm stuck in the middle of God knows where because you Nephilim think that you're so damn clever!"

Taehyun looked at him curiously, "I don't know what experience you've had with Nephilim in the past, Jimin," he spoke softly, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, "but from your bitter tone and the way you've been avoiding me I'd assume it wasn't a good one. But I promise you," his voice was earnest and assuring, "that I only want to protect you and your brother, everything will be okay, _trust me._ "

Jimin stared at the sky again, not bothering to respond. His breath came out in puffs and blended with the white clouds above. Taehyun tightened his grip on Jimin and gently tugged.

"Hey," he coaxed softly, looking down at Jimin with a piercing gaze, "look at me."

Jimin immediately closed his eyes, his mind whirling on the possible excuses he could give or a good change of subject.

"Jimin," Taehyun's voice was laced with suspicion, "Why won't you look at me?"

Jimin shouldered off his hand and began to walk again, ignoring the curious calls of the others. He needed to breathe; his mind felt cloudy, he just needed to get away. So he took off running, knowing full well that they would never be able to keep up even if they wanted to.

As he ran, distracted by the fear of being found out by the Nephilim in their group, Jimin almost didn't notice the tree branch that fell and crashed right in front of him. With a yelp he turned and took off down another path, only to be stopped by the rush of a wide stream. He rushed through the forest, now not even on a path, but when he turned to head back he was met with the strange sight of what looked like a wolf.

So he continued to run, dodging obstacle after obstacle, almost as if Mother Nature was guiding him herself. When he finally stopped running, he was in the middle of an enchanting little clearing. The pine trees appeared greener than the others in the woods, and the snow softer. Jimin stood for a moment, letting the white flakes fall over him with the silence.

Silence.

Jimin froze and opened his eyes cautiously, the clearing was dead silent. No birds, squirrels, wind or creak of the large tree branches. An eerie feeling settled over him, reaching up he tightly clutched his necklace in his fist for comfort, every inch of his body screamed at him to get out of there. As his mind cleared, Jimin quickly began to retrace the footprints he had made in the snow, the feeling of unease growing with each step.

This feeling was only confirmed when he realized he wasn't going back the way he had come; he was following someone else's footprints.

"Hello?" Jimin called out nervously, "I'm lost, can anyone hear me?"

Unfortunately, someone could. It was Jimin who couldn't hear the other until they were standing right behind him, but by then it was too late. He whirled around, only to have soft snowflakes blown onto his face.

A tingling sensation filled his lungs, he giggled slightly, it felt like someone was tickling his insides. The last thing that crossed his mind before he passed out was the realization that snow generally only appears blue in paintings.


	20. Expected Guests

Soft, melodious giggling filled Jimin's ears. The ground was cold, numbing his back, and he could feel the soft flakes of snow landing on his face, like wet kisses on his skin. He knew he needed to get up, or at least open his eyes, but his body wouldn't respond. All things considered, he should feel a sense of panic, but instead was immensely calm.

"He seems harmless enough," a soft voice above him whispered, "what could she possibly want with him?"

"It's not our job to question her reasonings," a slightly louder voice piped up, "just do it."

Soft giggles surrounded him as he felt small fingers dust over his forehead. A tingling sensation ran from the top of his head down to his toes, causing his eyes and mouth to open as he gasped for breath.

"He's awake!" a small female exclaimed, rushing to hide behind another small female.

Jimin blinked several times, his entire body felt thick and numb. Surrounding him was a group of females, small in stature--like a slim child with large facial features and pointed ears. They were clad in blue cloth, their hair all matched in silver, but differed in length, and the cold didn't seem to phase them since their feet were bare.

"You must not have used enough dust," the tallest of the group said, her voice sweet and alluring.

The smallest female hopped forward with a light giggle, "Oops, my bad!" she exclaimed. Reaching into a pouch by her waist she pulled out a hand full of blue powder, "Night night, pretty boy," she whispered, before blowing the powdery substance onto Jimin's face.

Jimin felt his eyes flutter shut and his head get heavy. With a noise of confusion, he felt himself falling back into darkness.

After he had fallen back into a deep slumber, the leader of the group turned to her companions, "We have to be more careful," she reminded them, "what if he's mortal?"

"Then he'll assume it was all a dream," another spoke up, twirling her long, silver hair between her fingers.

"Can we keep him?" Another asked dreamily, kneeling down to gently caress his cheek.

"No," the leader spoke again, "she wants him and we work for her. Now come, we have to guide the others back here to find him."

"Can't we take a break to have fun?" The smallest one who had blown the dust onto Jimin asked. "There's a new farmer in town, he has these beautiful horses and-" she stopped talking when the tallest looked at her.

"You have a lot to learn," the leader said, guiding the smaller through the forest with a hand on her back, there was a mischievous glint in her eye. "What we're doing _is_ fun!" She skipped over to a tree with a light giggle and willed it to fall. With a loud crash, the pine tree collapsed smoothly over a wooded path.

"But I can't do that yet," the smallest pouted, attempting to knock a tree down of her own.

Loud giggling slowly began to fill the forest as the group of petite females teased the group of travelers, knocking branches in their way, melting a significant amount of snow to create a rushing stream, or sending woodland creatures scurrying in their paths.

"Don't worry," the leader said with a joyful laugh and a small hop, "all pixies gain the ability to protect the forest they live in, you just have to be patient."

Across the forest, back in the clearing where they left him, Jimin slowly began to stir. It was the strangest feeling; he was aware of his surroundings, he could feel the cold snow, smell the pine, hear the crunch of footsteps as someone approached, but he couldn't open his eyes or move. He felt trapped in his own body and panic slowly began to set in.

"Oh my gosh, Jimin!?" He recognized Hoseok's voice immediately and attempted to cry out, but his lips wouldn't open.

"Is he breathing!?" Jungkook asked, his voice laced with panic.

Taehyun pressed his ear to Jimin's chest, "Yes!" he exclaimed, "he's alive."

"Oh thank Posiden," Seokjin said, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"Hey," Taehyun tapped lightly on Jimin's cheek, "wake up," he murmured, rubbing cold snow onto his face in hopes of reviving him.

"Allow me," Taehyung knelt down and pressed two fingers over Jimin's nostrils.

"Stop," Taehyun exclaimed, "that's not the proper way to wake up an unconscious person!"

Jimin began to panic, he could feel his oxygen dwindling instantly, struggling he attempted to pull himself out of his frozen state once more. Suddenly, with a sharp jerk, his mouth flew open and he gasped for breath, the cold air hit his lungs and caused him to begin coughing. His eyes fluttered open to meet Taehyung's concerned ones.

"Proper or not, it worked," Taehyung stated with a shrug as the others all crowded around with concerned expressions.

"What happened!?"

"Are you okay!?"

"Why'd you run off like that!?"

"I'm fine," Jimin croaked, though his throat and head felt like it was on fire. He slowly sat up, gripping onto Hoseok's hand for support. Looking around at the clearing they were in he asked the question everyone was thinking, "Where are we?"

Everyone turned and looked expectantly at Taehyun, "I have no idea," he admitted, "but in my defense, if Jimin wouldn't have taken off like he did we would still be on a familiar path." He looked at Jimin with suspicion, immediately attempting to peer into his eyes. Jimin looked away quickly, shivering as a calm breeze blew through his wet clothes.

"It doesn't matter," Seokjin said, he knelt down and began to melt the snow from around Jimin's soaked and freezing body. Jimin shared a grateful smile with the siren. "What matters is what we're going to do next. It's going to be dusk eventually, and I'm not a huge fan of the idea of being out in the woods after dark." The others hummed in agreement.

Taehyun eyed Seokjin carefully, he observed how he was knelt down, his fingers curled in slightly on themselves as the snow around Jimin began to melt, and his clothes began to dry. "How about you fly up over the trees to see if you can spot another town? There should be one nearby," Taehyun casually suggested, still eyeing the curious scene beside him.

Jimin curled in on himself, "I can't," he mumbled, thinking about his ugly wings with a shudder, "I think I'm too weak right now," he lied. Taehyun looked at him suspiciously but didn't comment further.

Hoseok stood up with a smile, "I knew this trick would come in handy," he said with a small laugh, using his powers to bend a tall tree's branch down to his level.

"You mean other than using it to climb in some dude's window at night?" Seokjin teased with a laugh.

Taehyun observed with curious eyes as Hoseok rose in the air, straddling the branch. "You guys possess magic?" he whispered, his eyes widening in surprise.

Taehyung clapped a hand on the freshman's shoulder, "Yeah, you get used to it after a while, don't worry."

"How?" he asked, his eyes never leaving Hoseok's nimble form as he climbed higher and higher using magic.

"Hobi's a witch," Jungkook explained, eager to share his new knowledge.

"Warlock," Seokjin corrected.

"Whatever," Jungkook responded with an eye roll, "Jin here's a mermaid."

"Siren," Seokjin corrected again, gritting his teeth together, "it's not that hard of a word to remember!"

"Wait, so why haven't you guys just used magic to find the gem of Aine? Or to create a portal back to your town?"

"I don't think Hobi knows the spells necessary, he appears insecure in his powers in a lot of ways," Seokjin said, voicing his thoughts out loud.

"Wait, so what powers do those two possess?" Taehyun asked, looking over at Taehyung and Jungkook who were currently arguing with Jimin over who would make the better warlock.

Seokjin rolled his eyes, "They seem to possess the power to annoy anyone and everyone in their presence."

Just then Hoseok dropped back down from the treetops, landing a little awkwardly on his side and half stumbling half rolling to get back to them. "There's a town," he said, a bit out of breath, "straight ahead to the right of that tree," he pointed determinedly, "if we start walking now I bet we can make it before nightfall."

"Let's go then," Jimin piped up, standing shakily on his feet, "I'm feeling better and these woods give me the creeps," he looked around nervously, "I feel like we're being watched."

Jungkook nodded in agreement, "Me too," he whispered. He could feel a familiar urge bubbling inside of him, but repressed it the best he could.

Feeling motivated now that they had a clear location in mind, the group of teenagers began the long walk to the nearest city. As they were walking in silence, an eery realization dawned on Jimin, he fell back in step next to Taehyun, careful to keep his eyes trained on the ground.

"What you said earlier," Jimin quietly said, "about Hobi and his powers, you mentioned a portal back to our hometown...but we never told you how we got here."

Taehyun turned and smiled softly at the older, "I guess I must have overheard you guys talking about it, but after finding out it was possible I didn't think much of it. Funny how the brain works sometimes, huh?"

Jimin laughed nervously, "Yeah, funny."

Hours later, the group of exhausted teenagers came to the edge of the town. "Thank heavens," Jimin murmured. He wasn't personally that worn out, but if he had to hear Taehyung complain one more time, he was going to shove him over a cliffside the first chance he got.

"Where to now?" Jungkook asked, looking at the beautiful cityscape.

Jimin's eyes suddenly glazed over slightly; he felt a strong pull in a certain direction. Confused, he turned to walk the other way, but it was as if he was being pulled by an invisible string. As if in a trance he began to slowly walk down the hill, heading straight into the hustle and bustle of the night blanketed city.

"Jimin!" Hoseok jogged to catch up to him, "Stop running off on us," he scolded, "where are you going?"

"I don't know," Jimin mumbled, his eyes staring straight ahead of him, "but I know where to go. Follow me." The others exchanged curious glances but had no other choice but to follow.

"Okay fine," Seokjin grumbled, "I'll follow you, but if you get me killed I will turn your insides into a popsicle."

Hoseok glanced curiously at the siren, "Wait, can you really do that?" Seokjin rolled his eyes and pushed past the other, but as they entered deeper into the dark city something felt eerily off. Gulping, he found himself lacing his hand through the warlock's.

"Jimin," Jungkook hissed, his head beginning to cloud, "something doesn't feel right."

Taehyung wrapped an arm around Jungkook, "Shhh," he spoke calmly, "it's just the dark that's making you nervous. Jimin is smart, he wouldn't bring us somewhere dangerous."

"Unless that was his goal all along," Jungkook hissed, "I mean, we've known him for what, a month?"

"Yeah, but he's an angel," Taehyung reminded Jungkook, "I don't think angels can hurt people."

Jimin led the group with determination, even though he hadn't the slightest idea what had taken over him or where they were heading. He kept his eyes fixated ahead of him, not daring to look anywhere else in fear that he would meet Taehyun's eyes.

In fear that someone would find out what he really was.

Finally, he stopped in front of a large building. The lights were shut off, indicating that its occupants were asleep, but that didn't stop Jimin from pounding on the door.

"What are you doing!?" Hoseok hissed, looking around nervously. The last thing they wanted to do was draw attention to themselves.

Jimin ignored him and continued to knock until the door slowly creaked open.

"Yes?" A soft voice asked from the doorway, an older woman with red hair and bright blue eyes was standing in front of them.

"I'm sorry," Seokjin stepped in front of Jimin, "Please excuse my friend, he doesn't appear to be in a proper state of mind right now," he said with a glare in Jimin's direction.

"No," Jimin struggled against Seokjin's grip, "I'm not leaving, they want me here."

Taehyun stepped forward, his eyes drawn into a frown, "Who wants you here?"

"I don't," Jimin looked down at his feet, "I don't know."

Hoseok laughed loudly from behind them, "I'm so sorry ma'am," he apologized again, "he hasn't been feeling well lately and-"

The lady at the door cut him off with soft laughter, "Don't worry, hun," she opened the door wide and motioned for them to come inside, "I've been expecting you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey readers! Comments really do encourage/remind me to update this story more often. Thanks for reading!! <3


	21. Alone

"Are you always this cheerful?" Yoongi asked with an annoyed expression. Soobin was skipping through the woods towards town, a goofy smile on his face.

"Let him be!" Kai exclaimed, feeding off the excitement of Soobin, "he doesn't usually get to be with people close to his age."

Yoongi had spent the morning explaining to them the situation at hand. Beomgyu had looked like he was about to cry at the mention of his brother diving into the waterfall, but Yoongi had promised him that he was okay. Now he just had to hold fast to that promise.

"I don't mind the kid," Namjoon mentioned, smiling as Soobin flashed his teeth at Kai, causing him to squeal in excitement, "Kai seems to like him."

Yoongi huffed, of course Kai liked him, they were both joyful balls of energy. Though he had to admit, he had saved Beomgyu's life, and even the angel seemed taken by the werewolf's childish charm.

"So you think this boy that Soobin knows is a warlock?" Namjoon asked, directing their attention back to the situation at hand.

Yoongi nodded, "It sure sounds like it. Either way, he can probably help us."

Just then Kai ran around behind his brother and jumped onto his back, "I want to have special powers!" he exclaimed, "How cool would that be!? Joonie, how come we have to be boring."

Namjoon laughed and hoisted his slightly taller brother up further onto his back, "Does what we're doing right now seem boring to you?" he asked with a laugh. "If you ask me, this week has been anything but boring. What, do you want to save the world like Superman or something?"

Kai jumped off his back and pouted slightly, "I don't need to save the world," he said with a sigh, "if I could save one person in my lifetime, I'd be happy."

Yoongi laughed at Kai's comment, "You don't have to have powers to do that, kid. Besides, with how accident-prone and klutzy your brother is, I'm sure you've saved him on multiple occasions."

Kai rolled his eyes, "Doesn't count," he said with a laugh, running to catch up with the other two boys.

Namjoon shook his head, "I don't know how to deal with him half the time," he said with a chuckle, "the kid practically raised me, though it should have been the other way around."

Yoongi slung an arm over Namjoon's shoulder, "You've done more for him than you realize," he said with a smile.

When they finally reached the town, it was a solemn sight. Buildings were scorched and the streets were bare, tents were set up in certain places, but people weren't laughing or chattering like usual. The silence was eerie and saddening.

Beomgyu looked at the empty, silent streets with a nervous expression, "I hope my parents are okay," he whispered.

Yoongi ruffled his hair, "Of course they're okay," he said more confidently than he felt, "they're angels." He didn't even bother worrying about his parents, as Nephilim, he was sure they were busier than ever working to find a solution to the demonic being that appeared to plague their town.

Soobin led them through the town to a small house on the waterfront, "There," he whispered, pointing to the tiny cottage. It was untouched, though the houses around it had been burned some, being by the water surely helped.

Scampering down the hillside, Soobin bravely knocked on the door, the others right behind him. After a few moments of waiting, the door cracked open to reveal a young, blue-haired male.

"Yes?" he asked shyly, peering through the slit of his door.

"Hello!" Soobin cheerfully began, "I'm-"

"Yeonjun?" Beomgyu suddenly exclaimed, stepping in front of Soobin, "Oh my gosh, I had no idea it was you we were going to see, hi!"

At the sight of a familiar face, the male opened the door wider and stepped out timidly, "Beomgyu?" He turned to look at the others behind him, "Kai? What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story," Beomgyu said, "can we come in?"

Soon, the six males sat comfortably in the living area of the cottage. After introductions were made, Yoongi found out that the blue-haired male's name was Yeonjun, and that he was a sophomore at their highschool. Beomgyu and Kai had a few classes with him and before all of the madness happened, Beomgyu and he had made plans to hang out. Apparently, Yeonjun lived with his mother who was currently working as a nurse nonstop in one of the many hospital tents set up around town. Yoongi watched with amusement as Soobin transformed into an unstoppable ball of energy to a timid, flustered mess around the other.

"Okay," Yoongi interrupted their friendly chatter, "I hate to cut this short, but we need help and we don't have time to waste."

Yeonjun looked confused, "Help? What could I possibly help you with?"

Silence filled the room. It's not every day you knock on someone's door to ask them if they potentially have the knowledge to understand a supernatural happening in the woods. Yoongi pondered for a moment, they had to somehow pose a question that didn't arouse suspicion or sound weird, but was direct enough to receive a straightforward answer.

Kai suddenly spoke up, "Can you do magic?"

Yoongi sighed, that worked too he supposed.

Yeonjun's face visibly faltered, but he quickly composed himself, "You mean like a magician?" he asked in a believable manner.

"No, like a...what did you call it?" Kai turned to look questioningly at Yoongi, but before the other could answer Soobin spoke up.

"Like a warlock," he said blatantly. Yoongi groaned inwardly, did these kids have no filter at all?

Yeonjun's eyes widened, this time his composure fell as panic crossed his face. "What do you want from me?" he whispered, drawing his legs up to his chest.

Yoongi sucked in a breath, "So it's true?" he asked, leaning forward so as to not miss anything.

"Hey," Beomgyu rested a reassuring hand on his school friend's thigh, much to Soobin's dismay. "It's okay, we don't want to hurt you, we just need your help." He looked towards the distraught werewolf, "Can you explain to him what you saw?"

Soobin nodded nervously and proceeded to explain in detail what he had seen; the scary beast, their friends jumping, and the flash of green light right before they disappeared. Yeonjun listened carefully, visibly becoming calmer as he realized why they were there.

"So can you help us?" Namjoon asked earnestly.

"Yes," Yeonjun said, standing up from his seat, "but first tell me, how did you figure out I was a warlock?"

"Soobin is like your number one fan or something," Yoongi said, looking at Soobin who quickly hid his blushing face in his hands. "Now tell us how to get our friends back."

Yeonjun paced in front of his fireplace, he looked up curiously at Yoongi's comment, "You can't get them back, it doesn't work like that. You could probably go to them though," he turned towards Soobin, "What does he mean by you being my number one fan?"

"I-" Soobin began to say, but Yoongi cut him off.

"He enjoys stalking people, now can you please explain to us how we can get to them!?"

Yeonjun looked at Soobin with a small smile before turning to face the irritated Nephilim, "Well it sounds like they dropped through a portal, but unless you can somehow ask them where they are, I can't help you." He turned back to Soobin, "So you've been watching me and saw me use magic and didn't freak out? Also, why were you watching me?"

"Well-" Soobin attempted to answer, but once again Yoongi cut him off.

"He thinks you're cute or something, we should not be focusing on this, Jimin and-" he was cut short by a pillow to the face.

Soobin stood up with a huff, having just thrown a couch pillow with all his might. "Freaking out isn't going to help anyone, okay? Did you not hear the guy? You need to know where they are, and you don't, so he can't help us. Now stop interrupting me and let me speak for myself." Soobin turned towards a surprised Yeonjun, "Look, I haven't been stalking you, more like observing, wait, that sounds creepy. You've just got nice hair and caught my eye at one point, and then I saw you doing magic and I mean, how am I supposed to ignore that, you know? So sometimes when I would come into town I'd stay a little longer just to watch you, I was just really too shy to approach you, so I-"

"Soobin," Kai was standing behind the older now, resting a reassuring hand on his back, "sweetie, you're rambling."

Soobin's face flushed red, "Sorry," he mumbled, "point is I'm not a creepy stalker, I promise."

Yeonjun began to giggle, "I believe you," he shyly said, "and I wish I could help you guys, really."

Beomgyu walked over and hugged his classmate, "Thanks, Yeonjun, I guess we'll have to find another way to find my brother."

Yeonjun frowned, "You're looking for your brother?"

"Yeah, I haven't seen him since the firestorm."

Yeonjun bit the inside of his cheek before reaching out and touching Beomgyu's necklace lightly, "Oh, I guess I just assumed he'd have the other half of this."

Beomgyu frowned, "There's another half?"

"Yeah," Namjoon piped up, "your mom gave one to Jimin and told us to give the other half to you."

Yeonjun smiled widely, "Then just talk to him! Unless...are you not an angel too?" At this everyone turned to look with wide eyes towards the young warlock.

"You know Jimin's an angel!?" Kai exclaimed with a pout, "did everyone know about this but me?"

"How did you know?" Beomgyu asked, suspicion laced through his tone.

"I overheard him and that other warlock talking, several times actually. He has a loud ass voice," Yeonjun explained.

"Damnit, Hobi," Yoongi grumbled, "surprised he didn't expose himself sooner, honestly."

Yeonjun chewed nervously on his fingernails, "Yeah. Anyway, the necklace you have, I forgot what it's called, but it allows the two wearers to communicate with each other if they both have the blood of an angel."

"Wait," Namjoon started, "Beomgyu, didn't you say you thought you heard Jimin last night!?"

Beomgyu immediately clenched tightly onto the necklace, "Jimin, Jimin!" he began to shout, "Jimin where are you? Can you hear me?"

Yoongi watched the scene and frowned, racking his brain he could vaguely remember learning about some sort of stone that could be used for communication, but he never was very good at the knowledge side of training; his former roommate helped him pass all of those classes.

"How do you have so much knowledge on angels?" Yoongi asked, stepping closer to Yeonjun to appear more intimidating.

"M-my mom," Yeonjun squeaked, "She-she's part of this group of supernatural beings, we're not supposed to know about each other, you know?" he looked around the room nervously, "but we're everywhere. There's a lot more than you'd think, not necessarily in this town, but the big cities..." Yeonjun shook his head, "The group my mom is a part of thinks it's wrong to stay hidden, wants things back to how they were, but it's a lot more difficult to do than it sounds."

Yoongi's head was spinning, how many more things was he, were they all, in the dark about?

"Oh my gosh! Jimin, are you okay!?" They all turned to look towards Beomgyu when he cried out in a mixture of relief and happiness. "He's okay," he blubbered, tears now streaming down his face.

"Jimin, what happened!? Where are you!?" Beomgyu asked, hand clutching the stone around his neck.

"I don't hear anything," Kai whispered, "why can't I hear anything?"

"Don't look at me," Namjoon muttered, "I'm as human as you."

"They did fall through a portal," Beomgyu quickly explained, "they're in a city called Almaraya staying with a what now?" he silently listened for a moment before repeating to the others, "they're staying with a woman who claims to be a fortune-teller or something. Jimin says she seems nice, but they're all a bit nervous...wait, what was that?"

Beomgyu quickly grabbed onto his necklace again, his face paled slightly, "They met a Nephilim," he quietly said, "he's helping them, don't worry."

Yoongi's eyes widened slightly, having stared into Jimin's eyes he knew how detrimental that could be for the younger. But wait, why should he care? If anything it would make his life easier, right?

Yeonjun smiled, "That's good! Can you have your brother describe the place?"

Beomgyu asked the question before beginning to repeat back what he heard, "Lots of snow, it's really cold. It's nighttime there right now, umm, a basic city appearance? Tall glass buildings and paved streets, they're staying in a large house outside of town."

Yeonjun closed his eyes, taking in the description, "Okay," he finally whispered, "I think I can do it, but not here. I'm not about to destroy my house in an attempt to make a portal, my mom would kill me."

"You can make a portal!?" Kai exclaimed, "Cool!"

Yeonjun looked down sheepishly, "Well, I've never actually made one, but I've seen my mom do it plenty of times. I think I can?" he said with uncertainty.

"Let's go back to the falls," Soobin suggested, "Nobody will see us out there and there's plenty of space.

As they all scurried to head out the door Namjoon pulled Yoongi aside, "Is this safe?" he asked.

"Probably not," Yoongi admitted, "but I'm willing to try."

The entire walk to the falls, Beomgyu talked softly with Jimin, finding comfort in his voice, while Kai argued with Namjoon about whether he should be allowed to go through the portal. Namjoon decided for him, he would not be, there were too many risks.

"Where am I going to stay!?" Kai shouted, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"I'm sure you and Beomgyu can stay with Yeonjun, right?" he asked the young warlock.

Yeonjun eyed them warily, "I guess so, my mom's hardly home anyway."

"They could always stay with me," Soobin offered.

"How about we all stay together!?" Kai exclaimed excitedly, jumping on the back of his new friend.

"Sure, why not," Yeonjun replied with a small smile before muttering, "My mother is going to kill me."

When they finally reached the falls, Yoongi was beginning to feel a bit apprehensive.

Especially since Yeonjun kept bouncing on his toes mumbling, "You can do this, you just have to focus so they won't disintegrate forever, you got this."

He turned to face Yoongi, "Just two of you are going through?" Yoongi looked at Namjoon for reassurance and nodded. Yeonjun smiled, "Okay, I got this."

Closing his eyes he pictured the city he wanted them to go to while muttering a spell along with the city's name.

"This takes a lot of focus," Soobin whispered to Kai, "he was telling me that if he's not focused enough, the person heading through could be lost in-between time forever."

Kai's eyes widened, rushing forward he clutched onto his brother, "Wait, Joonie, I don't want you to go, please, let me go instead!"

Namjoon sighed, "Kai, I'll be fine," he promised, pulling his younger brother in for a hug. Sometimes he forgot how sensitive Kai could be, he was always trying to appear tough and unphased, hiding his fears and sadness with a wide smile and loud laugh, but deep down he was scared. Namjoon could see it in his eyes.

"Are you ready!?" Yeonjun shouted, throwing his hands out towards the water. A purple haze covered the water, it almost looked like a foggy light.

"Holy hell!" Yeonjun yelled, surprised by his own accomplishment, "I didn't actually know if I was going to be able to do that! Wait, I probably shouldn't think of hell," he shook his head and focused all of his energy on opening the portal. "Jump!" he suddenly shouted as he struggled against an invisible force to keep it open.

Yoongi exchanged a worried glance with Namjoon, it was now or never. Taking a deep breath he ran to the edge of the cliff and lept. For a moment he was falling, his stomach dropped and he felt sick, and then he was spinning and pulling in all sorts of directions. To say it was terrifying was an understatement, it felt as if his limbs were being ripped from his body until suddenly, he landed with a sickening thud on an icy covered street.

When he finally felt strong enough to move, he slowly sat up and looked around. The city was quiet, everyone was asleep, and he was alone.

"Namjoon?" He called out in a raised whisper, but not even an echo responded. Yoongi gulped, suddenly feeling very cold. He had no idea where he was, where Jimin and the others may be, or what dangers could possibly be around him.

He was utterly alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you could be a mythical creature what would you be? 
> 
> Be sure to follow us on Twitter! We respond to all PM's there. :))
> 
> Bry: @JustBinch  
> Leah: @DDreamAintReal


	22. New Information

Namjoon stared down another dark, empty street, "Yoongi," he hissed, his voice barely above a whisper.

He wasn't sure how they had gotten separated or where they were supposed to go, he hoped he was at least in the right town. Maybe it wasn't the wisest thing to trust a very young, inexperienced, strange warlock. A loud clang sounded behind him, he quickly jumped and turned around, striking a defensive pose with fists raised. A black cat ran out from behind a tin trash can it had knocked over and Namjoon let out his breath that he hadn't even realized he was holding; he needed to get out of the dark alley he was standing in. With shaky legs he walked out of the shadows and down the cold, cobblestone street.

"What have I gotten myself into?" he mumbled to himself, shivering with every gust of wind.

"I don't know, what have you gotten yourself into?"

Namjoon bit back a scream and slowly turned in an attempt to locate the person that the voice belonged to; at least, he hoped it was a person. His hands were clenched into fists as he crouched low, hoping to appear intimidating to whoever lurked in the shadows. Instead, he was met with a very familiar laugh.

"Sweetie," the voice cackled loudly, "you're about as intimidating as my grandmother!"

"Jin!?" Namjoon exclaimed, relief flooding through his cold body.

"Hah!" Another familiar voice spoke up, "Considering my grandma's a witch I'd say he's _less_ intimidating than her."

"Hobi!?" Namjoon shouted a bit too loudly, "Where are you guys?"

"Shh, you're going to wake the neighbors," Seokjin scolded, stepping out from the shadows of an old building's doorway, "and I've told you, only my friends can call me Jin. Besides," he walked onto the street and grabbed the lost boy's hand, "I much prefer 'peaches,'" he said with a wink.

Namjoon didn't have time to respond before he was pulled towards the creepy looking house behind them. Hoseok opened up the door for them after warily glancing down at the two classmate's interlocked fingers, "Be quiet," he reminded, a finger to his lips.

"What is this place?" Namjoon whispered, glancing around at the cozy yet slightly creepy living space.

The ceiling was abnormally high with a heavy, silver-plated chandelier hanging from its eves. The walls were dark wood, mahogany, perhaps, and the floor a lush, red carpet. Patterned rugs of different shapes, colors, and sizes lined the hall floor where he was led. The two male's brought him to a tall, railingless, winding stairway, black and white photos in wooden frames littered the walls around them.

"Don't fall," Seokjin whispered, "according to Jungkook, it hurts."

Namjoon gulped and followed the siren up the twisted stairway with the young warlock close behind. They reached a glass-plated ceiling, Seokjin was quick to push up on its wooden edges, with a loud creak the trap door popped open. He followed him through the door and was met with more colorful rugs and a low wooden ceiling. A small, dusty window sat at the back wall and, aside from a few dimly lit lanterns, would be their only source of light.

"JOONIE!" Jimin squealed and launched his small body at Namjoon. Namjoon looked around the small attic, unphased by Jimin who was currently clinging to him like a koala. Taehyung was asleep on a makeshift bed, while Jungkook stood by the only window, his gaze never wavering from the glass pane. Hoseok looked oddly distraught while Seokjin rubbed his back gently as if to keep him calm.

"You don't happen to know where Yoongi is, do you?" Hoseok asked Namjoon, but his eyes shifted towards Jungkook's spot at the window. Jimin's grip loosened at the mention of Yoongi's name. Namjoon shook his head, so many questions were running through his mind.

Jimin let go of Namjoon and clutched his necklace, "Beomgyu, no, we don't know where he is," his voice was shaky.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on!?" Namjoon pleaded, "Where are we? Where's Yoongi? I thought-"

"We're in a city called Almaraya," Seokjin interrupted, "we're staying in the house of a," he shook his head as if in disbelief, "of a seer."

Namjoon ran a hand over his face, "You have got to be kidding me," he groaned. "You're telling me we are taking shelter in the attic of someone who claims to be able to see the future?"

Hoseok shrugged, "She knew we were coming," he said blatantly.

"She's actually been quite insightful," Seokjin began, "she told us-"

"I THINK I SEE HIM!" Jungkook suddenly shouted from his spot at the window, Jimin sprinted to peer out with him.

"Jungkook," Jimin snapped, turning to smack him, "that's a girl!"

Jungkook cupped his hands together on the window and peered back out, "Oh, yeah, you're right. False alarm!"

Namjoon looked very confused so a sleepy Taehyung, who had been woken up by all of the shouting, explained, "He's looking for Namjoon and Yoongi."

Seokjin walked over and kicked him lightly, "Go back to sleep, idiot." Taehyung didn't need to be told twice.

"When you went through the portal," Jimin began to explain, "you were separated. It wasn't supposed to happen, but Yeonjun is inexperienced, and considering he could only go off the description I gave, I think he did quite nicely."

Hoseok nodded, "You did arrive in one piece, that's always a good thing with portal traveling!"

Namjoon nodded numbly, "Fantastic," he mumbled, "now, how did you all end up here? And wait, Beomgyu mentioned something about a Nephilim you were with?"

"Ahh yes, Taehyun, great kid," Hoseok said, "he's asleep in his bedroom."

Namjoon looked around the cramped attic, "What makes him so special that he gets his own room?" he scoffed.

"We all have our own rooms, actually," Seokjin clarified, "this is actually Taehyung's room, but the window overlooks the street so perfectly."

Jungkook slipped away from the windowpane, "Yeah, but the odds of spotting Yoongi are slim to none," he said, "remember what Yeonjun said?"

Jimin nodded and turned towards Namjoon, "He wasn't sure where the two of you landed, but he knew it was far apart."

"Bummer," Taehyung mumbled from his mattress on the floor, "does this mean you can all leave my temporary room so I can sleep?"

Seokjin rolled his eyes, but Hoseok calmly said, "Come on, we should all get some rest. Yoon Mirae-ssi, she's the seer," he explained to Namjoon, "said she knew where to find what we needed and would explain everything to us over breakfast; we shouldn't be tired for that.

"What do we need?" Namjoon hissed in confusion as the group made their way back down the old, twisted staircase.

"We were looking for a gem that can help us defeat the great demon that plagues our town when we got lost and ended up here," Jimin explained.

"Woah, woah, woah, back up, a great what now?" Namjoon asked, fear written over his face.

Hoseok sighed and pushed him to the right, down another narrow hallway. "Apparently, his name is Akshin," he began to quietly inform. "Don't look so shocked, we knew something supernaturally evil was the cause of those disasters, now we simply have a name for it. He's one of the greatest demons that has ever existed and the reason for the battle our ancestors fought in years ago."

Seokjin slipped down another hall, this one wider, with Jungkook right behind him. Hoseok pulled Namjoon and Jimin to a descending staircase.

"I thought they won that war?" Namjoon said, his face twisted in thought as they walked down the narrow, dimly lit stairwell. "Didn't your ancestor's journal mention a defeat?"

"It did, but..." Hoseok nodded towards Jimin whose knowledge on demons was far more vast than his own.

"Demons can't die," Jimin began to explain, they were standing at the bottom of the stairway now, "they were never alive to begin with. You see, they can take on human form, but they never actually have a human body...unlike Jin, Hobi and I who, while we possess supernatural powers, are born with human bodies."

"Exactly," Hoseok confirmed.

"So, why are we even going to try and destroy Akshin?" Namjoon exclaimed, "It sounds like a pointless battle!"

"We can't destroy him," Jimin said, "but we can contain him."

Hoseok nodded, "That's what our ancestors attempted to do and they thought they had succeeded, but obviously they didn't."

"But, Yoon Mirae says she can help us! She's very wise," Jimin stated confidently.

Namjoon looked at the two boys warily, "Can we trust her?"

"We don't have many other options," Hoseok admitted honestly.

Jimin rolled his eyes, "We can trust her, don't worry."

Namjoon looked around the cement basement they had arrived in, "Why are we down here?"

"Oh, she prepared us all rooms and ours are in the basement. Yours is on the far left," Jimin pointed to a wooden door that contrasted horribly with the grey walls.

"But, how did she know I would be..." Namjoon trailed off.

Jimin smirked, "I told you she was good."

That night, Namjoon laid wide awake on his four-poster bed, he had to admit that it was very comfortable. An unease settled over him, maybe it was because last month he was a regular high school student finishing out his senior year in the safety of his own bedroom, and now he was chasing down a demon with people he had never called friends before in the basement of a woman who claimed to see the future. How was everyone so put together? He shook his head, he would be strong for them, he would be brave and fearless! He snorted at the pathetic thought, he was sure Kai would be laughing at him if he could hear his thoughts, oh well, maybe one day he'd make his little brother proud.

...

Jimin awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon. For a moment he was afraid, the bed he slept in felt unfamiliar and the room was small and dark. Suddenly, memories of the day before flooded back and he quickly got out of bed and rushed out of the room and up the stairs, he couldn't miss the informative breakfast meeting!

"Ah! The ones in the basement are always the last to wake up," the redheaded seer said with a light laugh when Jimin walked into the dining room, "but the smell of freshly cooked bacon never fails, come come!" She patted an empty chair that sat next to Taehyung who was inhaling a bowl of stew and rice.

"Thank you," Jimin mumbled sleepily and began to help himself to the meal on the center of the table.

He glanced around the large, wooden table that sat in the middle of the cheerful, yellow-painted dining room. Seokjin sat across from him neatly eating his food, Jungkook was situated on the other side of Taehyung, excitedly talking with his mouth full to Taehyun who sat across from him looking quite disgusted. At the head of the table sat Yoon Mirae, Jimin assumed her to be in her sixties, though she was still quite beautiful for her age.

He was trying to figure out if her bright blue eyes were real or contacts, when Seokjin asked, "Where are Namjoon and Hobi?"

Jimin looked up from his food and shrugged, "They must be still sleeping."

"I'll wake them!" Jungkook exclaimed, jumping up from his chair and running down the hall to the door that led to the basement. "HOBIIIIII, JOOOOOON, GET YOUR LAZY ASSES OUT OF BED!!" he screamed, causing even Yoon Mirae to wince and cover her ears.

Jungkook walked back to the table and took a seat, smiling proudly, "You're welcome," he smugly said.

Seokjin rolled his eyes, " _I_ could have done that," he grumbled.

Moments later Namjoon and Hoseok sluggishly emerged from the basement. Jimin found himself giggling at the state of their bed-headed hair, before realizing that his own hair probably looked similar. Subconsciously, he reached up and ran a hand through his hair.

At the same time, Seokjin covered his mouth with his hand and laughed, "You boys look ridiculous," he teased.

Namjoon glared at him, "I'm sorry that we can't all wake up looking as stunning as you, peaches," he mocked, taking a seat in-between his bully and the male he had yet to be introduced to.

Hoseok snorted, "Speak for yourself," he twirled gracefully, "I look hot."

Seokjin snorted and reached up to smooth down the warlock's dark red hair that was currently standing up in three different places, "Oh yes," he agreed, "a hot mess." Hoseok smirked and took a seat on the other side of the siren.

Namjoon turned towards the unfamiliar male next to him and smiled, "You must be the Nephilim I've heard so much about!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Taehyun returned the warm expression, "I would assume so," he said, "I'm Taehyun, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ahem," Yoon Mirae cleared her throat to gather their attention.

Namjoon looked as if he had just noticed her for the first time, "Hello," he said, extending his hand across the table in a friendly gesture, "I'm-"

"Kim Namjoon, I know," she gingerly took his hand in her own before suddenly dropping it, her blue eyes clouded over and she began to shake involuntarily. The other occupants in the room sat nervously, unsure of what was going on.

Namjoon looked the most afraid, "What did I do!?" he hissed.

"I think she's having an episode or something," Hoseok whispered back.

The shaking suddenly stopped and the woman's blue eyes returned to their normal brightness, but the expression on her face was a solemn one. "As a seer," she quietly said, "I can only see bits and pieces of the future as the universe allows, so my predictions are often sporadic and vague. I apologize if I startled anyone."

"Don't worry, you didn't," Taehyung politely assured, though he looked as if he had just wet himself, the others nodded in agreement.

Yoon Mirae smiled warmly, "I see that you are all very brave boys, I'm glad. In order to accomplish your task you will need to adhere to that. Now, I'm going to tell you a brief story, one you may be slightly familiar with, but I don't appreciate interruptions. There is a time for listening and a time for talking, now is the time for listening, understood?"

Everyone silently exchanged glances before nodding in acknowledgment.

"Long ago," Yoon Mirae began, taking the time to look at each male, "there was a battle. By now you're all familiar with it, after all, some of you have ancestors who fought in it." She smiled at Hoseok and then at Taehyung, who appeared surprised by this. "You see, since the beginning of time, a great demon, arguably the greatest, plagued the supernatural realm. His name is Akshin. However, the battle between good and evil is not uncommon in this realm, so he was dealt with accordingly."

"One day, Akshin broke the boundaries of supernatural and natural by entering the world of the mortals. He was enticed by the world's unique beauty and atmosphere, he tested the limits of physics and spiritual boundaries, and quickly decided that he wanted to be the ruler of this world."

Jimin gulped, he was very familiar with the laws of the spiritual realm. The heavenly creatures ruled together in harmony, it wasn't uncommon to battle a demon there, but when a demon found their way into the world of the mortals they became a much greater threat. That's why Nephilim existed, they protected earth and those who innocently inhabited it.

"...he began to destroy homes, rip apart families, and steal lives, all through the manipulation of earthly disasters. It became too much for the Nephilim race, they were overturned and their numbers wiped out, so the supernatural realm decided to ban together to defeat him once and for all. After much dedication and research, an archangel discovered an ancient incantation device that could trap Akshin forever. It's called: _The Eternal."_

"But why didn't it work!?" Jungkook blurted out.

Yoon Mirae glared at the young man and he promptly shut up. Jimin glanced over at Jungkook, his fingers were tightly wound with Taehyung's, they were trembling slightly. Jimin found himself wishing that Yoongi was here so he'd have someone to help calm his own nerves down.

"The device was difficult to construct, six enchanted crystal pieces were slotted together, but each crystal slab had to be constructed and enchanted by a different supernatural being. This is what brought all mythical beings together, it was a momentous moment in history, however, there was one piece missing: the gem of Aine."

"But my parents told me that the gem was used in the battle," Taehyun blurted out, unable to help himself, "and Hobi's grandfa-mmf," Namjoon had covered Taehyun's mouth with his hand.

Maybe it was a bit unorthodox considering he had just met the boy, but Taehyun reminded him of Kai in a lot of ways, so his brotherly instincts had kicked in.

Yoon Mirae attempted to appear stern, but the corners of her lips twitched slightly, "The gem was indeed found and brought to complete the incantation device, but the supernatural being needed to enchant it couldn't be found; in fact, to this day they are still unheard of. So, since there wasn't any other option, the device was used anyway, and for years it worked, Akshin was trapped."

"After the battle, the supernatural beings began to argue on who should look after The Eternal. After a few years, when it became clear that the device would not hold forever, they became even more divided on what to do. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, your great ancestor, Hoseok, cast a forbidden spell and succeeded in wiping the memories of the mythical, including memories of each other. It was actually a horrible time in our history and an even worse mistake."

Jimin turned to look at Hoseok whose expression had become downcast. "I thought my ancestor was a hero," he whispered.

Seokjin leaned over and squeezed his hand, "It doesn't matter if he was or wasn't, what matters is who you decide to be," he encouraged.

"The incantation held for generations," Yoon Mirae continued, ignoring the whispered chatter, "it was kept in the security of the warlock's until an archangel discovered and confiscated it. Eighteen years ago, the seal finally broke and Akshin escaped, but not before destroying the device. He removed the gem and broke the six pieces apart, with the help of other evil mythical creatures and demons he scattered them. Each piece is hidden somewhere different and guarded by many horrible creatures, and they can only be used by an ancestor of the same mythical being who enchanted it."

"Why are you telling us this?" Namjoon asked with frustration laced through his tone, "This task of collecting all six pieces plus the gem sounds impossible!"

"Difficult, yes, impossible, maybe," the seer said in response. Namjoon threw up his hands in disbelief. Yoon Mirae smiled, "Now is the time for talking," she said.

"What mythical creatures were needed to enchant the six crystals?" Taehyun asked, his expression thoughtful.

"Nobody knows for certain," the seer said in response.

Namjoon groaned, "Of course they don't, nothing can be easy, can it!?"

Seokjin touched his shoulder and soothingly squeezed, catching him off guard. Namjoon looked at Seokjin who offered him an encouraging smile, okay, maybe the impossible _could_ happen.

"You said nobody knows for certain," Taehyung pointed out, "so that means they must at least have an idea?"

The seer nodded, "There's an ancient riddle, the one the archangel discovered years ago that gave her the knowledge to build this incantation in the first place, your answer lies in that."

Hoseok ran a hand over his face, "Can we hear this riddle?"

"Not from me, I don't know it, couldn't tell you who does," she replied. Namjoon looked like he was going to punch something or someone, so Taehyung scooted away from him slightly.

"What does this demon guy want now?" Jungkook asked, his mouth full of now cold rice and bacon.

"What do you mean?" Jimin asked, looking at the younger curiously.

"Well," Jungkook swallowed his food, "in the movies the bad guy only comes back after years of hiding because he wants something. Yoon Mirae-ssi said he broke free eighteen years ago, so why terrorize our small town of nobodies now?"

Taehyung poked his best friend's cheek, "That's actually a great question, Kook," he said before turning to the seer. "Do you know the answer?"

She shook her head, her long red hair rippled against her back, "I do not," she admitted.

"Do you know anything?" Namjoon crossly asked, earning a smack from Seokjin.

"I know that you need to watch what you hold most precious before it's gone, darling," the seer hissed coldly, before donning her familiar, sweet expression again. "And I know which supernatural being is needed to enchant the gem of Aine."

When she didn't continue Hoseok took the liberty to ask, "What being?"

Yoon Mirae smiled, "One with the blood of an angel..." she purred, "...and the blood of a demon."

As everyone else began to argue in confusion Jimin felt himself pale, suddenly, he had a pretty good idea what the answer to Jungkook's question was. Akshin didn't come out of hiding for something, but someone.

He was looking for Jimin.


	23. The Journey Begins

  
Namjoon sat on a plush, red rug, surrounded by worn-out books and ancient journals. Behind him, an old fireplace stood hauntingly charred and cold, while the other walls around the high ceilinged room were covered by tall, wooden bookshelves. He had stumbled upon the seer's library his first full day there, and now, almost a week later, that's where you could almost always find him.

He had always felt at home amongst books, they gave him a place that he could escape to. However, this time, he wasn't reading to escape into a story, he was reading to literally escape. To escape this house that his friends seemed to love so much.

It's not that he didn't like Yoon Mirae, she was very sweet...almost too sweet. Something was off-putting about her, something that bothered Namjoon to the core, yet he couldn't put his finger on it. They hadn't planned on staying long, but in reality, they had no place to go home to and she was kind enough to offer up her home.

They had collectively decided that they would locate all seven pieces of the Eternal, including the gem of Aine, and find a way to take them back. In order to do so, they would need to find the descendants of the original seven that first crafted the Eternal and convince them to help. On top of that, they still hadn't been able to locate Yoongi, which of course, was first priority. Namjoon didn't want to voice it out loud, but the city of Almaraya wasn't very large, so his best friend's disappearance was unnerving, to say the least.

"Hey," Seokjin's soft voice came from behind Namjoon, breaking his focus from the journal he was reading. "I made lunch, do you want me to bring you some?"

"No, that's okay," Namjoon mumbled, distracted once again by the print in his hands, "I'll eat later."

Seokjin took the worn-out book from Namjoon's grasp, "That's what you said last night." He reminded him, before asking, "Have you been up all night?"

Namjoon snatched the journal back from Seokjin's hands, "I took a little nap," he murmured.

Seokjin frowned, "You have to eat and sleep, you aren't going to do anybody any good if you get sick! It won't hurt you to take a small break."

"Why do you care!?" Namjoon snapped, "My best friend is missing, and you've done nothing but treat both of us like trash our entire lives, so stop pretending like you aren't enjoying this!"

"That's not fair," Seokjin growled back, "these are completely different circumstances. Of course, I-"

"He could be hurt? Did you think about that? There's no logical explanation as to why he hasn't been found yet unless he's been injured, taken, or worse!" Namjoon's voice cracked slightly, "He could be dead, Seokjin, so no, I won't be taking any breaks."

Seokjin stared at Namjoon for a moment before leaving silently. He was hurt by Namjoon's implications that he didn't care, or have a right to care; he wasn't heartless after all. He tried not to let the fact that Namjoon had called him 'Seokjin' bother him, Namjoon had never referred to him by that before, no matter how many times he had insisted on being called that.

Seokjin returned to the library a little later, a large bowl of soup in hand. He didn't say anything, but he left it beside the determined male who was lost in another book. He took a moment to silently admire Namjoon's strong persistence. A soft chuckle slipped past, for this brief moment, the nerd actually seemed quite attractive and appealing.

After Seokjin left him in silence, Namjoon's eyes tirelessly scanned page after page, not even sure what exactly he was looking for. He finished the soup without thinking much about it, but did feel a little better thinking on a full stomach. He stood to look around the room again, even though he had combed through every section of bookshelves that there were, he knew he had to be missing something.

Walking around the room, he began to run his hands along the full shelves. Dust collected at his fingertips into a small ball, what a shame, to have access to all of these great books and not read them. He looked up at the shelves above his head, he had used the ladder to access the journal section, they were all carefully dated and easy to reference, but maybe he had missed one?

As he was about to grab the ladder again, he noticed something peculiar; dust was no longer being collected by his hand. In fact, the entire shelf he was standing by was dust-free, did that mean that Yoon Mirae had an interest in reading, he looked up at the carefully labeled shelf: _Dictionaries/Encyclopedias._ An entire shelving unit dedicated to arguably the driest books in existence, what was so interesting about this?

Forgetting his former goal, Namjoon began to comb through the informative books. He quickly noticed that an entire shelf was backward, instead of being labeled A-Z, it was labeled Z-A. Frustrated, he instinctively began to fix it, knowing it would forever irritate him if he didn't. In his haste, he slid one of the heavy books back in too hard, hitting the back of the shelf with a hollow thud.

Namjoon paused, before sliding another book on the shelf equally as hard. The same soft, hollow thud fell upon his ears. With shaking hands, Namjoon carefully removed all of the dictionaries on the shelf and ran his hands along the back wall. His hands froze as they scraped against a small divot. He quickly looked around the room to assure that he was indeed alone, before carefully pulling against the loose, wooden board.

The back wall of the shelf slid open relatively easy, and Namjoon found himself letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Bending over to peer between the wooden shelves, his eyes were met with darkness. He gulped. If he were to ask Yoon Mirae for a flashlight, she would surely become suspicious, if she hadn't already.

Taking a deep breath, Namjoon slowly slid his hand into the dark hole, silently praying that there weren't any creepy crawlers or rodents waiting to surprise him. He also hoped that this moment wasn't going to appear in a vision of their kind host anytime soon. Feeling around the cool, damp area, his hands finally grasped around what felt like a leather book.

When he pulled it out, he was surprised to see that it wasn't a book or journal, but rather, a leather-encased box. Deciding against sticking his hand further into the crevice, Namjoon quickly stuck the box in his jacket pocket, closed the panel, and sorted the books back onto the shelf. Shaking slightly, he walked out of the room, attempting to appear inconspicuous, in search of someone to share his newfound information with.

Before he could, he came face to face with Yoon Mirae.

"Namjoon!" she exclaimed warmly, "I was just coming to get you, come come, I have exciting news!"

She led him into the cozy, dim-lit living area, where the rest of his friends were waiting. Namjoon slipped a hand into his pocket and clutched the artifact he had just discovered, a shiver ran down his spine as he realized just how close he had been to being caught. Still, the hidden item felt heavy in his grasp, and he wanted nothing more than to be away from the seer's watchful gaze.

Namjoon took a seat in-between Jimin and Jungkook on an old, scratchy sofa. Hoseok and Seokjin shared an armchair next to it, and he tried not to let Seokjin's seat of choice (Hoseok's lap) distract him from what was going on. Taehyun and Taehyung sat together on the rug covered floor, and after his find in the library, Namjoon couldn't help but wonder if this woman's obsession with rugs had more to do with their ability to hide things than it did taste in decor.

"So I spoke with an old friend today," Yoon Mirae began, "and they had some insight on one of the Eternal pieces."

She looked around the room, making sure she had everyone's undivided attention before continuing.

"In old mythology, you may have heard the story of Selene, goddess of the moon. Her role was to control the moon, and in turn, the tide. She fell in love with a mortal named Endymion, who slept eternally in a cave by the waters edge. Now, it is uncertain who granted this man eternal sleep, but that fact is irrelevant. It is also uncertain as to whether or not this myth has any historical fact, but that is also irrelevant."

"If it's all irrelevant then why are you telling us?" Namjoon asked with irritation, tired of pretending to enjoy or trust this woman's company.

Jimin pinched his arm discreetly, almost as if warning him to not upset the enchanting looking woman.

Yoon Mirae smiled sweetly, but her eyes held a different emotion. "Everything I say to you holds relevance, dear," she whispered, her gaze directly on Namjoon. A chill ran down his spine when she brought her eyes down to his hand that was still shoved protectively into his jacket pocket. "Everything I own holds relevance," she stated in a whisper.

She glanced around the room, holding each male's gaze for a moment. Nobody dared to speak; even Jungkook was silent for once.

"Now," she continued, "there is an old cave, not far from this city, that is said to be the cave that Endymion, the one the moon goddess loved, slept in. However, it is completely immersed underwater, and anyone who has dared to explore it has never returned. My dear friend informed me this afternoon that a new rumor surrounds it, a rumor of an enchanting, but deadly creature, who protects a piece of crystal moon."

Silence fell over the room before Jungkook tentatively spoke.

"I don't understand," he whispered, "why do you want us to find a piece of the moon that we didn't even know was missing?"

"It's not really the moon," Namjoon answered quietly, "it's a part of the Eternal."

Yoon Mirae smiled proudly, "You're a lot brighter than anyone, including yourself, gives you credit for," she encouraged.

"How can you be so sure?" Taehyung asked, looking curiously at Namjoon.

"Technically, we can't be sure, but based on probability, it's a good guess. See, we aren't certain which creatures crafted the Eternal, but according to all of the research I've done, there is speculation. The original instructions exist somewhere, and our best bet is to find them; but for now, a hunch may be our only opportunity," Namjoon explained.

"Sexy brained tall guy who spends all day mindlessly reading say what?" Seokjin asked, clearly just as confused as everyone else.

Namjoon sighed, "The sea and the moon are connected in many ways, the pull of the tide being just one. Since these crystal pieces are enchanted, there's a good chance that they are unable to be destroyed or kept hidden anywhere besides their original location. Hence why Akshin has reliable guards for each of them, instead of simply keeping them in his own underworld realm or destroying them entirely."

He turned to look at Seokjin with a smug expression, "I learned all that from my 'mindless' reading."

"Okay, but how is this good news for us?" Hoseok blurted out, "You said that everyone who has attempted to explore this cave has disappeared."

"Like Yoongi," Jimin suddenly whispered from beside Namjoon, causing his stomach to drop in a sickening, gut-wrenching fear. "They disappear, just like Yoongi has."

"Okay, but there's no way this Yoongi guy found his way to this underwater cave, he would have no reason," Taehyun said, speaking up from his seat on the floor.

Namjoon nodded, "He's right, we can't worry about that."

"I think that Namjoon is right," Yoon Mirae suddenly spoke up, "him and my dear friend came to the same conclusion: that one of the seven pieces of the Eternal lies in that cave."

Namjoon bit his tongue, holding back from asking who this 'dear friend' that Yoon Mirae kept speaking of was.

"That still doesn't answer my question," Hoseok said, wrapping his strong arms around Seokjin, much to Namjoon's dismay.

"Think about it," Namjoon said, through gritted teeth, "only mortals have attempted to explore this cave, we have among us people with incredible power."

Suddenly, his face paled, a realization dawning upon him, "No," he whispered, turning to look at the seer who nodded at him, confirming his fearful thought.

"What is it?" Jimin asked, chewing nervously on his bottom lip.

Namjoon gulped, "We have among us, a creature who is connected to both the sea and the moon," he turned to look at Seokjin, "a creature, who was most likely one of the six beings that discovered and enchanted a crystal piece."

Hoseok's grip around Seokjin tightened when he realized who Namjoon was referring to.

"Very wise," Yoon Mirae said with a chuckle, "very wise, indeed."

"Me?" Seokjin asked nervously, as everyone in the room stared at him.

"You are a siren, are you not?" the seer asked rhetorically. "Master of the sea and moon, if anyone here could retrieve that crystal piece, it would be you."

"B-but, I don't think I'm a descendant of one of the original six," Seokjin said, stumbling a little over his words.

"You don't need to be a descendant to retrieve it, just to activate it," the woman reminded him.

"Okay, let's think about-" Namjoon began, but was hastily cut off.

"I'll do it," Seokjin said, "where is this cave? I'll find it."

Namjoon held up a hand, "I think we should really think about this," he said, "we don't know how dangerous or-"

"No," Seokjin cut him off again, "I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this because I _care._ I care about Sonyeondan and the people in it, not just that, but if we don't stop Akshin now, who's to say where he'll terrorize next?"

"I actually agree with Namjoon," Hoseok said, clutching tightly onto the siren, afraid to let him out of his grasp. "We should definitely reconsider this decision."

"I'm not a child!" Seokjin yelled, standing up sharply, "In fact, I'm older than all of you guys. It's my call, and I'm doing it."

"Not alone you won't," Namjoon argued, standing up to face the group, "I'm going to go with him."

"Oh please," Hoseok stood with a look of defiance, "you're nothing more than a mortal, I will accompany Jin."

Namjoon scoffed, "My knowledge far outweighs yours for being just a 'mere mortal,' as you like to put it."

"I'm cool with staying here," Taehyung offered up, chewing his nails nervously.

"I've actually been trained in combat situations," Taehyun reminded them, "I think I should go as well."

"Now hold on," Jungkook exclaimed, standing excitedly, "if there's going to be a battle I want in on this. I've been playing video games for years, don't worry, I'm trained well."

Taehyun rolled his eyes, "You are literally a child."

"Excuse you!? Have some respect, you can refer to me as 'Hyung' from now on."

"Actually," Jimin's soft voice from the couch broke their arguments, "I think I should go." Before anyone could respond he quickly explained, "It's obviously far too dangerous for a mortal to go, and Taehyun, your training has never been under the sea; besides, we need someone to protect everyone else here. I may not have experience with the sea, but I do have a slight connection to the moon, and I won't venture underwater, I'll stand watch outside the lake."

"What about me?" Hoseok asked, a bit cross, "My powers are a lot more useful than yours."

Yoon Mirae smiled, "He's needed here, isn't he?" she asked, looking at Jimin who stood, quietly clutching his necklace.

"Yes," he finally whispered.

"They're coming, aren't they?"

Jimin nodded, "I told him not too, but he's so stubborn. I need Hoseok here, to portal them back."

"Who?" Namjoon asked, worry written across his face.

"Beomgyu...and Kai," Jimin answered, "they've convinced Yeonjun to portal them here."

Namjoon cursed loudly, "But what if they get separated like Yoongi and I were, are they not thinking!?"

"It's too late," Jimin murmured, "they're already here."

"What!?" Jungkook exclaimed, running to look out the nearest window.

Jimin breathed a sigh of relief, "They're together, thank heavens. At the local grocery store, the one we looked for Yoongi at."

He jogged towards the door, "I'm going to get them and bring them back here, you better start making that damn portal back, Hobi!" he shouted, before leaving.

Namjoon ran out after him, "Wait, if Kai is there I'm coming with!" he shouted.

Taehyung groaned, "What a mess."

Hoseok gulped, "I've never made a portal before," he admitted.

Yoon Mirae giggled and clapped her hands, "Well, there's plenty of books on it in the library, why don't you go check those out!"

"But reading is Namjoon's thing," Hoseok grumbled.

"You know, watching him read today, there was something oddly attractive about it," Seokjin said with a teasing grin, though he wasn't entirely joking.

Hoseok turned, "Suddenly, I have the desire to read!" he exclaimed, shuffling towards the library.

Seokjin looked at Taehyun, who was staring after Hoseok with a bewildered expression and laughed, "It's a gift," he explained away with a wink.

Yoon Mirae smiled eerily, "Let's hope that gift works on whatever creature is guarding the crystal piece you need," she murmured lightly.

Even though she knew that it wouldn't.


	24. Riddle Me This

  
_'Through the wreckage of those who weep,_

_A wish to capture,_

_A soul to keep._

_Seven must go to please the Gods,_

_Solve the puzzle against all odds.'_

Namjoon looked up from the yellowed, torn paper he was holding, before passing it to Taehyung while Jungkook read it over his shoulder. The three boys were huddled up on the small bed in the basement room Namjoon had been given to sleep in. Hoseok and Taehyun were in the library with the younger boys, working on finding a way to portal Kai and Beomgyu back to Sonyeondan and out of the danger that was sure to come with the quest they were pursuing.

Though Namjoon had to admit, it was rather nice that Beomgyu was here and able to keep in contact with Jimin, as he journeyed with Seokjin to the cave that was rumored to hold a piece of the Eternal. If the necklace wasn't so precious to the two boys, he would have been tempted to suggest giving Beomgyu's to Taehyun, as the Nephilim had the blood of an angel and could effectively use it. However, he knew that Jimin would never willingly cut communication with Beomgyu once the two boys were portaled back, and considering that meant Namjoon would be able to keep tabs on Kai, he was grateful for that.

"Where did you find this?" Taehyung asked, a shiver running down his spine at the cryptic note.

Namjoon held up the leather-bound box he had discovered in the library, "In this. It was hidden in a secret panel behind the dictionaries in the library."

Jungkook gasped, "It was Namjoon, in the library, with...with the dictionary!" he giggled before pausing, "Actually, a dictionary as Namjoon's weapon of choice makes sense."

Taehyung ignored Jungkook, "How many secrets does Yoon Mirae have?" he asked in a hushed whisper.

Namjoon turned the old paper over in his hands, "I'm not sure, but," he ran his fingers along the torn edge underneath the last line of words, "there's definitely more to this poem."

"Didn't Yoon Mirae mention something about a riddle?" Jungkook asked, recalling the conversation they had over breakfast their first morning there.

Taehyung looked at the torn note again, "It does resemble something of a riddle," he murmured.

Namjoon gasped, "Actually, this does sound like it could be referring to the Eternal!" He grabbed the note and read aloud, "A soul to keep, seven must go..." he glanced up at the two boys.

"The Eternal's job is to capture a soul," Taehyung murmured, running a finger gently over the note, "and there's seven pieces needed."

Namjoon huffed, "And that old hag told us she had no idea how to find the riddle, I knew something was off about her."

"Wait, did I actually solve something?" Jungkook asked excitedly.

Taehyung looked over at his best friend, "I'd hardly call that..." he trailed off when he looked at Jungkook, stopping his teasing tone.

Jungkook had dark circles under his eyes, and overall, the young male looked exhausted. His ever-present smile and jokes reminded Taehyung of why he earned the playful nickname court jester, but as his close friend, Taehyung knew that it was often a front for his troubling thoughts and anxiety.

"Kookie," Taehyung asked softly, pressing a hand to his cheek, "have those dreams started up again?"

Jungkook looked away, before nodding slightly.

"Dreams?" Namjoon asked, clearly uninformed about something.

"It's nothing," Jungkook whispered, "I'm just prone to nightmares."

"Yeah," Taehyung muttered, "nightmares that come true."

Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut, "Not always," he murmured.

Flashes of the dream he had experienced the night before played out in his mind. A blurry, unrecognizable figure danced in front of another, both were happy, laughing, and then one wandered a little too far away from the other... Suddenly, a beast overpowered the wanderer, and all Jungkook could see was the dark sea of blood that coated the green grass around them.

Jungkook's eyes shot open as sharp breaths left his mouth. The memory was as vivid as when he had first dreamed it, and he could barely feel the wet tears that slid down his face.

Taehyung was cradling him in an instant, "It's okay," he whispered, "It's only a dream, I'm here, it's not real."

Namjoon looked at the two males awkwardly, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat loudly, causing Taehyung to quickly pull away from Jungkook, "there are letters in the box as well, and you're going to want to see them."

Taehyung stared silently as Namjoon handed over the old letters, all addressed to a Yoon Mun-hee, but with no stamp or address, indicating that they weren't sent via the postal office.

"All of these are signed _Jung Hoseok,"_ Taehyung read in disbelief, "but they're dated centuries ago!"

Jungkook snatched the letters out of his hand, "Is Hobi like a bajillion years old!?" he exclaimed, reading the signatures carefully.

Namjoon shook his head, "No, warlocks aren't immortal, their souls are, but not their human bodies; this is most likely his great ancestor. The journal Hobi has never stated the author's name, and it's not uncommon for names to be passed down through generations, especially for males."

"So Hobi's ancestor, the great warlock who erased an entire generation of their memories for his own selfish purpose, was sending letters to a likely ancestor of the seer who has been housing us for free and claims she knows nothing of importance to us!" Taehyung exclaimed, the fear and irritation clear in his voice.

"Maybe she didn't know they were there?" Jungkook quietly offered up.

"No," Namjoon replied, thinking of how the box was found behind the only shelf without any dust collected, "she definitely knew about this."

"What do the letters even mean," Jungkook asked, glancing over a few of them, "maybe it's not a big deal?"

"That's what I thought too," Namjoon began, "until I read this one."

He pulled out a letter that he had kept in his jacket pocket apart from the others.

 _"'My dearest Yoon_ _Mun_ _-hee,'"_ he read, as Jungkook and Taehyung listened intently. _"'I wanted to thank you for your help in discovering the instructions and servicing me in my quest to use the forbidden spell. I don't think I would have been able to accomplish it without you.'"_

"Is he talking about the spell that wipes everyone's memory!?" Jungkook exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"Shh," Taehyung hissed, before motioning Namjoon to continue.

_"'Unfortunately, things are not going to go as you thought. I have decided that it will be best to erase the memories of ALL mythical and mortals, not just the angelic ones as previously discussed. Don't worry, as payment for your services, I have left your memories alone, but your friends and family could not be helped._

_I hope you understand, this is what is best for me and my people, we must do our very greatest to protect the ones we love, wouldn't you agree? The Eternal is safest in my possession because once Akshin escapes, and believe me, he won't hold more than a few centuries, I need my people to be the first he encounters.'"_

"So," this time it was Taehyung who interrupted, "Jung Hoseok, one of the greatest warlocks to ever exist, tricked a relative of Yoon Mirae into helping him wipe the memories of an entire generation, but spared hers? Why?"

"Because," Namjoon spoke quietly, "what greater way to hurt someone, than to take away the memories of everyone they love, but spare them. She must have desperately attempted to explain herself, only to sound like a bumbling idiot."

"Couldn't she have just shown them the letter?" Jungkook asked.

"She probably tried," Taehyung commented, "but there's no proof, and who would want to believe her anyway?"

"The warlock probably wanted someone to realize what he had done as well, probably made him feel more powerful, as he had even wiped the memories of his own kind." Namjoon explained, "But of course we can't know for certain."

"Keep reading," Jungkook urged, so Namjoon continued.

_"'Have you ever heard the wise saying: 'If you can't beat them, join them.'? Well, that's exactly what I plan to do. Akshin is powerful, too powerful. The archangels insist that they can protect us, but they have thus far failed to do so. I need to protect my people, and as witches and warlocks, we tend to have more darkness in us than light anyway._

_Which is why I am passing down a journal to my future generations, detailing the exact happenings of the war and the existence of others.'"_

Namjoon paused before reading the next section, the understanding about what it meant settled with him in an all too heavy way.

 _"'Along with this journal, I have included a letter; a letter that every single kin of mine will surely read and understand. It details instructions on how to contact Akshin, should he finally escape, and includes an irrefutable_ _offer that I am positive the great demon will take. Together, warlocks, witches, and demons will find peace in an alliance._

_So you can understand, my dear_ _Mun_ _-hee, why I had to do what I did. A brighter future lies ahead for me and my people, and I hope you can find peace in it as well._

_With all my love, Jung Hoseok.'"_

Namjoon stopped reading and looked at the two boys, letting the words he had just said wash over them.

Finally, Jungkook spoke up timidly, "Hobi has the journal, which means..." he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

"It means that Hobi has the letter," Taehyung calmly stated, though his tone was distrustful and cold, "and he didn't share that with us."

Namjoon looked down at the letter in his hands, unease settled over him once again.

"Is this why you insisted on only sharing this with us?" Taehyung asked softly, "You said it was because Hobi needed to figure out how to make a portal, but you don't trust him, do you?"

"Can you blame me!?" Namjoon exclaimed, tightening his hands around the brittle letter, "You heard what this said, here," he shoved the note into Taehyung's hands, "read it," he begged, "read it and give me another explanation as to why Hobi hasn't told us about the letter that came with the journal."

"Maybe he wasn't given the letter," Jungkook suggested, nibbling nervously on his bottom lip.

"Yeah, Joon, you don't know Hobi as well as we do," Taehyung said, looking at the letter intently. "This whole disaster situation has brought us all together, but Hobi has been our friend since middle school. He would never hurt us."

Namjoon closed his eyes, exhaustion flooded over him, "Maybe he doesn't intend to," he thought out loud, "we don't know what the bargaining chip was for the alliance. Maybe it's not something that will directly hurt us, but indirectly."

Taehyung and Jungkook still didn't seem convinced, so Namjoon explained, "Look, I'm not saying that Hobi is intentionally going to turn on us, but it's something we have to be cautious of. Family ties can be strong to break, I would sacrifice everything, including my own life, for Kai, and maybe Hobi is willing to do anything that his family tells him is the right thing. So just," he looked at the two boys pleadingly, "just don't tell Hobi about this letter we found, and be extra careful, okay?"

Taehyung nodded as Jungkook murmured a soft, "Okay."

"We should get back to the others before they get suspicious," Namjoon suggested, "and as soon as Jin and Jimin get back, we need to get out of here and find Yoongi. I don't trust this place."

The two boys scrambled to leave the room as Namjoon collected the leather box to put back later, but he pocketed the revealing letter and riddle, those would probably come in handy later.

...

"Any progress yet?" Namjoon asked, walking into the library where Hoseok was researching how to make a portal.

"Yes!" Hoseok squealed, "Watch this," he motioned towards Taehyun, who nodded his head in readiness.

With a large spellbook balanced on his arm, Hoseok began to recite a spell with his eyes closed and hand outstretched. A small, yellow fog settled over the floor in front of him, no bigger than the book he was holding, it began to glow brighter and brighter. Taehyun grabbed another thin book, and threw it into the newly formed portal, they all watched as the book disappeared.

"Nice," Namjoon commented, "where did you send-" he was swiftly cut off when the book fell from the high ceiling above him and hit him on the head and knocked him to the floor.

Taehyun gasped, "The accuracy!" he exclaimed, high-fiving Hoseok.

Namjoon rubbed his throbbing head, "I'm so impressed," he flatly stated, glaring at Hoseok.

Hoseok laughed and helped Namjoon off the floor, "I'm sorry," he giggled, "just be glad Taehyun didn't throw a dictionary in there this time. Knocked Jungkook out cold."

Namjoon sighed, "Where did the rest of the boys run off to?" he asked.

"I think they're on the roof watching the sunset," Taehyun said, reading over another spellbook. "Ooo, look! There's a spell for changing hair color, do me, do me!" he squealed excitedly.

Hoseok grabbed the book, "I could try," he murmured, "what color do you want?"

"Hmm, what about bright red? I've always thought I would look good in that!"

Namjoon couldn't help but smile at the young Nephilim, sometimes he forgot how young he actually was. Taehyun always spoke in such a mature, wise way, and preferred to hang around the older boys rather than the teenagers his own age. Namjoon suddenly wondered what Taehyun's parents thought of his disappearance.

"Hey, Taehyun," he asked softly, "how about Hobi sends you home when he sends back my brother and Beomgyu?"

Taehyun frowned, "Why?" he asked nervously, "Are you annoyed by me?"

"No, of course not!" Namjoon exclaimed, "I'm just worried that your parents may be concerned by your absence, and this journey could get dangerous, I wouldn't want to see you hurt."

Taehyun smiled, "Don't worry, Nephilim parents encourage their children to partake in quests like this...granted it doesn't typically take as long as this one, but that's okay. I've been training my entire fifteen years of life for something like this."

Namjoon choked on air, "You're only fifteen years old!?" he exclaimed.

Taehyun nodded proudly, "Yup! But I'm intellectually an adult, that's what my old roommate at the academy I studied at always used to tell me." He giggled at the memory, "I was always his brains and he was my brawn when it came to homework assignments."

"I think I got it!" Hoseok shouted, balancing the spellbook on his knee he faced Taehyun and smiled mischievously.

 _"_ _Atque_ _caeruleo_ _rubrum_ _,"_ he began to speak slowly, staring at Taehyun for a moment longer before quickly turning to face Namjoon and finishing the spell, _"Cum_ _primum_ _in unum. Ad hoc_ _quod_ _homo appetit,_ _crinem_ _fucat_ _purpura!"_

For a moment, Namjoon thought Hoseok had set his hair on fire with how hot it burned, but when he reached up to touch it, he was relieved to find it still there. His relief quickly vanished when Taehyun stared at him, pressing a hand over his open mouth to suppress what sounded suspiciously like giggles.

Hoseok gaped, "Holy shit, it worked!" he exclaimed before laughing hysterically.

"On second thought, I think I like my hair the way it is," Taehyun said, carefully taking the spellbook from Hoseok's hands he casually added, "I think you're done with this for the day."

Namjoon frowned and ran his fingers through his hair again, "What did you do!?" he yelled, glaring at the warlock in front of him.

"I think now is the time to figure out how to portal yourself out of here," Taehyun whispered to Hoseok, who nodded in agreement.

Namjoon groaned, "You know what, I don't care, just...do you think you can send the boys home tomorrow?" Hoseok nodded eagerly. "Great, I'm going to let them know. Try not to..." he looked around the library warily, "...blow anything up," he said, before leaving the room.

Taehyun turned and looked at Hoseok, "You think he's going to be mad when he sees that you turned his hair purple?" he asked.

Hoseok thought for a moment, "I don't know, to be honest, I think it looks kind of good on-."

"JUNG HOSEOK!" Namjoon screamed from the other room, causing the warlock to jump slightly.

"Okay, nevermind, he's pissed," Hoseok said, before fleeing from the room.

...

"Stop laughing," Namjoon mumbled into his pillow, turning to glare at his brother.

"I'm not laughing," Kai lied, hiding behind his hands, "it's not that bad, purple sort of suits you."

Namjoon stared at him before smiling slightly, "It's okay, you can laugh," he mumbled.

Kai broke into a fit of giggles, "Okay, it looks absolutely ridiculous, but please don't change it, it brings me so much enjoyment. If it were up to me, I'd always keep your hair purple."

Namjoon rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I'm definitely making Hobi change it back tomorrow," he grumbled.

The two males were cuddled comfortably in the room provided for Namjoon. While Seokjin and Jimin's room was now available for the two surprise guests, Kai had wanted to sleep with his older brother. To keep him safe, he had claimed, but Namjoon had the suspicion that he simply missed his company. Regardless, Namjoon wasn't about to complain.

"Are you ready to go back tomorrow?" Namjoon asked sleepily, studying the outline of his brother's face in the dark room.

"Noooo," Kai whined, "I don't wanna."

Namjoon smiled, "You have to, bud. Things are about to get a lot more intense here, I need to know that you're somewhere safe."

Kai frowned, "Please," he scoffed, "I've always been the braver one."

Namjoon pulled his brother into a hug, "You have," he whispered, "so for once, let me be the brave one, okay?"

"Fine," Kai agreed, shoving his brother away, "but only because someone needs to look after Beomgyu...and those two other weirdos back home."

Namjoon laughed, "I know you'll take great care of them."

Kai sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, "I'm going to grab some water, do you want any?" he asked.

Namjoon shook his head, "No thank you," he murmured, slowly feeling himself drift off to sleep.

Kai slipped out of the bedroom door and walked carefully up the stairs. He regretted not grabbing a flashlight but didn't want to turn on the lights and disturb anyone. Reaching the landing, he tiptoed down the dark hallway past the other sleeping occupants' rooms. He was reaching for a glass above the counter when a quiet conversation reached his ears.

He could barely make out any words, so he crept closer to the living area, praying silently that the floorboards wouldn't creak.

"...you know that's why he wants them," he heard Yoon Mirae say.

In the glow of the moonlight, he could just make out her slender figure as she talked in a hushed tone to someone across from her.

"I know that," a low voice responded, "but at least let the two boys go home first."

Kai attempted to peek around the corner to see who was talking, but a small creak under his feet caused him to freeze completely. It was a male's voice, he could tell that much.

"We will do as he wishes," Yoon Mirae responded, absentmindedly swirling liquid around in a cup she was drinking from.

"What if they leave first?" The male asked in a hushed whisper, "Namjoon is getting suspicious, you know he wants to leave."

"That boy is too clever for his own good," the seer responded, before breaking into an evil grin, "but I saw a little into his future, poor boy doesn't know the danger that's coming. If he did, he would surely stop being so nosey."

Kai gulped, what had she seen about his brother's future that was so grim? His hands clenched together as he pressed his ear to the corner, waiting to hear more.

"He's hardly worrying about them leaving," she continued, "I was able to get them here with little issue, and besides, he has you."

The male chuckled nervously, "What if the two who went to retrieve the crystal shard fail? he asked, "What happens then?"

Yoon Mirae hummed softly, "Akshin is very positive that they won't fail, and he's hardly ever wrong. However," she paused for a moment, "should they fail, or rather, should the special one meet a dismal end, then his worries will cease to exist entirely."

Kai pressed a hand over his mouth, terrified to get caught by his breathing which was coming in short, harsh, puffs from fear. _Yoon Mirae was working for Akshin!?_

"Why not just get rid of that one?" the low voice asked. "If he's the threat to our master, wouldn't that be easiest?"

"My dear," the seer snapped, "you are questioning things again. If I remember clearly, the letter you received specifically said not to question our master. We do not understand his ways, nor do we have to. Now, repeat your task to me so I know that you understand."

"My task," the male spoke slowly, almost as if reciting something he had read many times, "is to stay alert, keep their trust, and report everything back to him."

"Exactly," Yoon Mirae purred softly, "your family raised you well."

"Of course," the male replied coolly, "I would do anything for my family."

"When the two blonde ones get back," the seer said matter-of-factly, "I will immediately take the crystal piece from them. I will use force if necessary, I am a lot more powerful than any of you think. Akshin needs all of the pieces in his possession to accomplish what he needs to do."

"What does he need to do?" the other voice asked, Kai didn't miss how it wavered slightly.

"Capture a soul, of course."

Kai turned and walked silently and hastily back towards the hall he had come from when he heard the other occupant of the room shuffle around and say something about going to bed. His previous quest for water had been completely forgotten about, and as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs he flung the door open and turned on the light.

"Namjoon!" he hissed, shaking his older brother with as much force as he could muster.

"Mm, what?" Namjoon asked, blinking slowly as his eyes adjusted to the light, but the look of fear on Kai's face had him sitting upright and alert in seconds.

"We have to go," Kai whispered, "we have to get Beomgyu to tell Jimin and Seokjin not to return, whatever they do, they cannot return!"

"Slow down," Namjoon murmured, "where is this coming from?"

Kai took a deep breath, "Someone is working with Akshin," he blurted out, "and I think it's one of our friends."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The spell Hoseok chants is very roughly translated into latin and should mean something along the lines of "Blue and red. As soon as one. That one desires to dye his hair purple." -Bry
> 
> A/N: Please, please, PLEASE, comment your thoughts on the plot/storyline. I want to make sure that you are enjoying it and we are explaining everything in a way that isn't confusing!! 💜 -Leah
> 
> Disclaimer: We completely made up the name Yoon Mirae without realizing there's an actual idol with that name! The seer is an original character and not based off this idol. 


	25. Reflection

  
"I have a bad feeling about this," Jimin mumbled, staring blankly at the compass in his hands as the two boys walked through the thick forest.

"Is saying that over and over again making you feel better?" Seokjin snapped.

Jimin glowered at his companion, "A little," he pouted.

Seokjin rolled his eyes and grabbed the compass from him, "According to Yoon Mirae's note, we should almost be to where the cave is," he stated calmly.

"I don't see any water," Jimin said with a frown.

"Shhh," Seokjin held a finger up to his lips, silencing Jimin, "do you hear that?"

A faint rushing noise could be heard in the distance, like waves crashing over rocks.

"We're close," Seokjin stated, "come on."

With the destination within hearing distance, the two men traveled faster, ready to get the quest over with. They didn't know a lot about the situation they were stepping into, but the seer had seemed confident that they would be able to accomplish the task relatively easily.

"Okay," Seokjin panted, "let's go over this one more time."

His breathing was heavy from the long walk. They had been able to take a taxi from Yoon Mirae's house to the edge of the woods, but the walk from there had taken them half the day. On top of that, they had wasted an embarrassing amount of time struggling to read the map and compass.

"Step one; locate the large, blue painted rock. This indicates the cave entrance," Jimin said, repeating what they had been told that morning.

"Step two; you stand watch outside, while I go in alone. I must go in alone, you're not allowed to so much as look at your reflection in the water, and whatever you do, don't touch it!" Seokjin exclaimed, with as much vigor as the seer had.

"Step three; quietly retrieve the crystal piece and the crystal piece alone, do not disturb or break anything else...oh, and avoid whatever creature is guarding it and try not to die!" Jimin finished, smiling nervously.

Seokjin scoffed, "Oh, is that all?"

Jimin reached out and squeezed the siren's hand reassuringly, "Don't worry, you'll do fine, I'm sure of it! Just...be careful."

"Aww, but I was planning on being reckless and taking chances," Seokjin pouted sarcastically.

Jimin giggled, "But you have two very attractive men who very much want to see you live," he teased, "they'd be heartbroken if you didn't make it!"

"Only two? Damn, I thought I had more game than that," Seokjin said, feigning offense.

Jimin rolled his eyes, "Okay, but on a serious note, which one would you choose?"

"Oh, you don't think I was being serious?"

"Hyung!"

"Okay, okay," Seokjin said with a laugh, "but I really don't know what you're talking about."

"You mean to tell me you haven't noticed the way that Namjoon and Hobi look at you? Hold up, are fish blind?"

"Some fish are, they have to rely on their-wait...I am not a fish! Gosh, the disrespect I get," Seokjin muttered, kicking a rock with his toe.

Jimin giggled, "You're avoiding my first question, which tells me you _have_ noticed."

Seokjin huffed loudly, before suddenly pointing to a large, chipped blue painted rock, "There it is!" he exclaimed, "Race you to it!"

Jimin rolled his eyes and let Seokjin take off, he'd need the head start.

Moments later, Jimin laid on the ground face down, "Please," he begged, "I did not sign up for this...spare my virgin eyes!"

Seokjin groaned loudly in annoyance as Jimin yelled louder, "STOP MAKING NOISES LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW!"

"Oh for the love of Ursula," Seokjin grumbled.

He finished stripping naked before walking towards the water's edge. He glanced down at his reflection in the sparkling, blue sea; it was oddly calm. Just a mile down the shore he could see waves crashing, but where they were everything was still. As he stared, longer than intended, he felt a pull, as if something was calling him to the water. For once, he wanted to touch the clear, glass-like liquid.

So he did.

Reaching down, Seokjin dipped his hand into the water and waited for the familiar tingle that always started in his toes.

After a moment, he realized that nothing was happening, the water had zero effect on him. Something was wrong, something was very, very wrong. With a frown, he slid his naked legs into the sea all the way up to his knees. The water lapped gently against his skin but had zero effect on his ability.

 _'Am I broken!?'_ Seokjin wondered, as fear clenched around his heart.

Standing up, he walked back over to the grassy area and pulled his clothes on over his seemingly dry legs.

"What are you doing?" Jimin asked curiously, "Was it that easy?"

"Nothing is ever easy," Seokjin muttered, "something is wrong with me, I'm not able to transform."

A look of surprise crossed Jimin's face, "Really?" he exclaimed, running with Seokjin back towards the water's edge.

The two boys stared down at the water that looked like a crystal itself. "Whoa," Jimin breathed out, reaching down to dip his hand into the sea.

Seokjin caught his wrist before he could touch it, "Jimin," he hissed, "you're not even supposed to look at the water, those instructions were clear."

Jimin laughed lightly, "It's just water, Hyung, are you afraid of it?" he taunted.

Seokjin pulled him back, "No, but you should be!"

Jimin turned and stared at the water, "But it's so pretty, look, I can see myself, and I'm so pretty."

"Are you feeling okay?" Seokjin asked, alarmed by Jimin's sudden change in attitude.

"No!" Jimin cried, wiggling in Seokjin's grasp, "I'm not okay, not yet."

Before Seokjin could stop him, the angelic being slipped easily from his hold and took off towards the edge of the water, diving straight in without a second glance back.

"JIMIN!" Seokjin screamed, staring at the rippling surface he had disappeared under.

Seokjin peered into the crystal clear water, but all he could see was the reflection of him, the surrounding trees, and the sky.

"I'm going to regret this," he muttered, before diving in after Jimin.

The water was freezing, almost mind-numbingly cold, but it didn't feel like liquid. The first thing Seokjin noticed was that he could open his eyes without them stinging, which would be completely normal for him had he transformed. He wiggled his legs as he sunk further and a sudden realization hit him; he had no idea how to swim without his tail.

Panic began to set in when he discovered that the air he had breathed in before diving under was quickly running out. Normally he was able to hold his breath underwater for around thirty minutes at most, but that was when he had the body of a siren. His eyes flitted around the dark underwater, but aside from a few fish, there was nothing around him, no sign of Jimin. His bare feet suddenly sunk into the slimy surface beneath him, and he cried out despite himself when thick seaweed wrapped around his legs.

Instead of the water filling his mouth and throat as he expected it to, he was startled to discover that he could breathe normally. Air filled his spent lungs as he gasped and desperately sucked in the oxygen surrounding him. Before he had time to dwell on the confusing turn of events, a bright, white light shone above him, illuminating the scene around him.

"It's power from the moon," a soft voice said from behind him, "isn't it beautiful?"

Seokjin attempted to turn around but his movements were slow and restrictive as if he was actually underwater, and he ended up losing his footing and slowly sinking to his backside instead.

"It is beautiful," a familiar voice replied from a distance.

Seokjin rolled over to his stomach and stood up, coming face to face with the boy he had jumped in after. Jimin wasn't looking at him though, he was staring at a creature in front of them. Though he couldn't blame Jimin for ignoring him, as he found himself wanting to gaze at this ethereal being and never look away.

She was tall and captivating, her slender figure towered above the both of them as she stared with silver glazed eyes. Her pale body was covered in flowing robes of different shades of blue while her long, blonde, almost white hair drifted with the current around them. For a moment, Seokjin forgot everything from his name to why they were there.

"Yes," the creature agreed, "the moon is beautiful, but," her lips twisted into a sinister smile, "not as beautiful as me."

In a flash, she appeared directly in front of them, "The moon is mine," she hissed, "the moon, the sea, and everything in and on it is mine."

She reached out and touched a cold hand over both of their faces, "You're mine now," she whispered.

"I'm yours," Jimin chanted back, his eyes locked with her silver ones. She gurgled in glee, almost as if she was laughing, before turning and looking at Seokjin expectantly.

"I'm yours," he murmured, his instincts telling him that's what he wanted to say, but his mind was screaming inside of him that it wasn't.

"Let me take you to my palace," she said, grabbing ahold of both boys' hands and swimming away, "but before you meet the others, there are three rules you must know."

Seokjin let his cold, numb body be pulled with her in silence as this creature explained the rules of her palace. He was oddly calm for the situation he was in, but in the back of his mind he knew that he should be afraid, but he wasn't. Wasn't there something he was supposed to be afraid of?

"Rule number one;" the creature purred, "I am goddess Selene and you are my slaves, therefore you have no name, you've never had a name."

Seokjin scrunched up his nose, _he's never had a name? No, he has a name, his name is Seokjin._ He turned and looked at Jimin who was nodding robotically. _Why was he nodding in agreement? He clearly has a name._

"Rule number two; you will not touch anything of mine and you will certainly not take anything of mine."

 _Not take anything? Wait, isn't that why they were there? To get something, something valuable and precious, something guarded by an evil creature?_ Seokjin's eyes widened, something wasn't right, he needed to snap out of it.

"Last rule; you will never, ever, enter my bed-chamber. The punishment for any of these rules is death. Any questions?"

Seokjin had many, but looking over at Jimin's glazed, attentive face, he decided it would be best to not ask any.

The goddess smirked, "There never are any questions," she purred, "such handsome slaves to add to my collection."

They arrived in front of a large, stone structure that appeared as if it had been underwater for centuries. With a flourish of her arm, the doors opened and she dragged them inside where they were immediately met with the silent stares of many other men. Seokjin kept from gasping aloud at their glossy, expressionless faces.

"My queen," one of them spoke, stepping forward and bowing low, "the cooks have prepared your meal."

"Excellent," Selene answered, not giving the male anymore thought as she shoved him out of her path, "have the swimmers bring it to me in my bathing chamber and oh, send a couple of my escorts to pleasure me as well."

The male smiled, "Anything for you," he said before taking off to do as he was instructed.

She turned and faced her two new captures, "As for you two," she ran a hand along Seokjin's broad shoulders, "I think I'd very much enjoy you as an escort," she smirked before turning to Jimin, "and I really could use another housekeeper."

Jimin nodded eagerly, "Anyway I can serve you, my queen," he said while trying to move closer to her.

Selene pushed him away harshly, "You now will simply be referred to as one of my escorts and one of my housekeepers."

She motioned to someone behind them, "Guard," she commanded, "show my new slaves around while I relax for the night."

Another male walked forward as quickly as he could, eager to please the goddess, "As you wish," he said.

Seokjin's eyes widened as he stared silently at the guard's all too familiar face. He waited until they were led down a dark, empty hallway before throwing his arms around the guard in disbelief.

"I can't believe it," he cried out, "Yoongi!? How did you get here?" Yoongi stilled under Seokjin's embrace.

When he received no response, Seokjin pulled away in confusion. He looked over at Jimin who was standing unbothered and expressionless, a feeling of unease and confusion settled over him.

"J-jimin?" Seokjin asked, stepping close and grabbing his hand, "Jimin it's Yoongi, you've been crying over him for weeks, he's okay, look."

Jimin looked at the two of them with confusion before saying, "We must serve our queen, why are we just standing here?"

Yoongi nodded in agreement, "I will show you around the palace now," he stated, continuing the tour.

"Wait!" Seokjin exclaimed, "Do you," he turned towards Yoongi, "do you not remember us?"

"Of course I remember you!" Yoongi said with a wide smile, he pointed to Jimin and then Seokjin, in turn, saying, "New housekeeper, new escort, I am to show you around."

"No," Seokjin whispered, "no, we have to get out of here!"

Now, with the absence of the goddess's presence, panic was beginning to set in. Jimin was never supposed to go into the water, and Seokjin was supposed to get the crystal piece for the Eternal without encountering the monster guarding it. He looked at his two friends' glazed over expressions and felt his stomach twisting into knots at the realization that Selene was the monster guarding the crystal piece.

The existence of Selene alone was haunting, she was supposed to be a simple Greek myth. However, by now Seokjin should be used to expecting the unexpected. She most certainly didn't reside underwater in the legend, but after her father threw her off her throne for falling in love with a mortal her story ends. He found himself wishing that he had paid more attention to his Literature teacher than he had staring at Hoseok.

"Why would we want to leave?" Jimin asked softly.

Yoongi nodded in agreement, "We love our queen, we will never abandon her."

Seokjin groaned, "Okay, clearly she's warped your minds in some way. Yoongi, have you ever seen a crystal shard of some sort while being here?"

Yoongi shook his head in confusion, his black hair floating around him "You don't want to see a crystal shard," he began to explain, "one time a cook slipped and knocked a bowl on a stone wall where it shattered, there were crystal shards floating everywhere. I helped our majesty take care of the cook."

"Oh no," Seokjin gulped, almost afraid to ask, "what did you do?"

Yoongi smiled, "I drowned him. Shall we continue our tour?"

Seokjin shuddered and hoped that once they were out of this mess Yoongi would have no recollection of what he had done. He half walked, half swam, mindlessly with his two brainwashed friends as Yoongi droned on about the different rooms of the palace. It appeared that everyone around them was in some sort of delusional haze and Seokjin couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't affected by it. He lifted his feet off the ground and let gravity slowly pull him down, whatever they were surrounded by felt like a mixture of air and water. He couldn't swim upwards, but when he jumped he floated higher than usual and sank down slowly as if he were underwater.

"This is our queen's bed-chamber," Yoongi was saying, pointing to a heavily guarded door at the end of the hallway.

Seokjin perked up at this, remembering the final warning of Selene's rules: _Never, ever, enter my bed-chamber._ He couldn't help but be curious as to what was so precious about her bed-chamber.

"I want to see inside her bed-chamber," Seokjin blurted out, catching Yoongi off guard.

"You can't," Yoongi sternly said.

"Let's just take a peek," Seokjin argued, "I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

Yoongi glared at him, "Even if I wanted to go against our beautiful queen's wishes, I couldn't," he pointed to the door, "Not only is it guarded at all times, but the door itself is locked by magic."

Seokjin slumped over in defeat, "Does she ever let anyone in there?" he grumbled.

Yoongi glanced around before motioning them closer, "I see her bring a male companion in there at times, her favorite escort."

"Wait...I'm an escort!" Seokjin squeaked as he fully realized what that meant.

Yoongi smiled, "Congratulations," he said, patting Seokjin on the back, "that must mean our queen finds you very desirable."

Seokjin groaned, "Lucky me."

...

Seokjin soon found that his position as an escort slave wasn't going to be an issue, Selene rarely requested a specific escort and when it came time for her to want a random one, he sat back and watched as everyone fought over who would get to serve her needs. In fact, his position was rather helpful given that he had the time to wander around without duties to fulfill.

Time seemed to move slower down in the palace, and before long it felt as if he had been a slave to the goddess his entire life. Yoongi and Jimin were no help, he understood exactly why the seer had instructed the younger to stay away from the water. Whatever spell the goddess held over them must not have worked on Seokjin due to his own connection to the sea and moon.

He glanced over at his two friends, if he could call them that, and groaned. They were just as eerily silent as the rest of the men, except Jimin sat perched on Yoongi's lap, their fingers intertwined and cheeks pressed together. Seokjin rolled his eyes, even having no recollection of who they were; they still managed to be attached to each other.

After exploring the entirety of the palace and the grounds around it, Seokjin decided that the crystal shard must be in the forbidden bed-chamber. He realized quickly that he didn't have many options, but a plan slowly began to compose itself in his head. A plan that would either save them or kill them, most likely kill them, but at the time it was his best option.

"Alright, which one of you does 'the queen', or whatever, bring back to her bed-chamber?" Seokjin asked the group of brainwashed escorts one day.

All he received was the common slow blink and glazed expression.

He sighed, " _Which one of you visits the goddess's private room,"_ he asked again, this time using his siren tone.

Slowly, several men began to point towards one man in particular who timidly stood up and admitted, "Me."

Seokjin smirked, pleased that his ability to charm hadn't disappeared along with his tail. Walking over to the male he began to order him in detail what he was to do.

That evening, at least Seokjin assumed it was evening given how drowsy he had become, and this deep underwater you couldn't exactly tell the time of day, a swimmer came to collect an escort. As instructed, the queen's favorite escort pushed his way to the front and begged, pleaded, and even bribed the swimmer to choose him. With the escort having no luck in convincing the swimmer to choose him, Seokjin eventually concluded he would have to order the swimmer to bring the escort to the goddess's private room. He watched as the two men scurried quickly down the hallway, eager to please their queen. Seokjin shut his eyes and took a deep breath; all he could do now was hope that the plan would work, and not cause him and his friends to meet an untimely death.


	26. The Day He Almost Died

  
If Seokjin thought living with the seer for a week was uncomfortable, it was nothing compared to living in Selene's castle. For starters, he was never certain of the time of day since light couldn't reach under the sea that far, and as a result, it felt as if at least a month had passed. Add on the fact that he had no proper companion as every male he met was in a trance of some sort; needless to say, he was ready to go out of his damn mind.

Aside from that, there was the constant fear and confusion of why his powers weren't working. While he was wandering the halls searching for the crystal piece the other day, he came in passing with a large shark. Now, normally this wouldn't scare him as sirens have been acquainted with the sea and it's many creatures since they were young, but without the use of his tail to distract or swim away, a shark was definitely not something Seokjin wanted to encounter. However, the large sea creature didn't seem to notice him and swam right over him without a disturbance.

After that, Seokjin began to realize that he had never come in contact with one of the many sea creatures that swam around them. There was a time he reached out to catch one, but his hand slid right through its body as if it wasn't real. As if it was projected.

Was it all a dream?

Now, as Seokjin followed silently after the escort chosen to please Selene that evening, he realized he really had no idea what he was getting himself into. The swimmer left the escort in front of the goddess's bathing chambers, but as demanded by Seokjin earlier, the escort put up a fuss and demanded to be brought to her private room. Selene, probably not used to her brainwashed slaves demanding things from her, caved relatively easily.

"Please," the escort begged, "I love you, why don't you want me?"

Selene looked taken aback, "Since when did you learn how to feel?" she pondered out loud, but looked flattered nonetheless.

"Just for tonight," she whispered before grabbing the escort's hand and dragging him floating behind her to her private chambers.

After saying something to the guards standing by, she unlocked the door and slipped inside, failing to notice Seokjin who had slipped up to one of the two guards and demanded, " _Keep that door from closing."_ Which the guard immediately did.

Acting fast, Seokjin quickly demanded that they not alert her to his presence and then waited for the goddess and her companion to fall asleep. This of course took awhile and gave the siren plenty of time to think about all the ways this could go wrong. The crystal piece wasn't guaranteed to be beyond those doors and even if it was it was likely protected by some other force. He wasn't sure how alert Selene would be either, even as she slept, which he hoped that she did, and he gave the odds of her having another set of guards in there fifty-fifty.

Yet, when the time finally came to act, he knew he had to because if he didn't they would likely be trapped down there forever. Seokjin figured since he was of sound mind he could likely slip away and find some way to the surface of the water they had dove into, but he would have to leave the crystal piece along with Jimin and Yoongi, who he was slowly growing accustomed to being around. He had spent his entire life getting what he wanted and making all of his decisions with himself at the center of his focus, but right then he was making the decision to think of everyone else and not just himself, and he had no idea why.

He slipped inside the room on his stomach, having to open the door slightly wider, praying that Selene was actually asleep, though the refreshing silence told him that she was. He realized shortly after that he could stand without fear of being caught. The room was huge. It was longer than it was wide and had dips and crevices in the stone walls. Unlike some of the other structures of the castle, the ceiling was mostly sound and put together, minus a few breaking points in the old stone. Her large bed was situated in one of the crevices, blocking her from his view, and there were fortunately no more guards to be wary of.

Seokjin walked as fast as he could around the room, which was actually very slow considering it still felt as if he was underwater, something he still wasn't sure about. He glided over to crevice after crevice where, to his dismay, piles of treasure lay. He wasn't sure what the crystal piece looked like but he decided to assume that Selene wouldn't carelessly leave it buried under a pile of treasure if it was that important. When he reached the end of her long room he was met with another long, dark hall to his left.

With a frustrated sigh, he almost ventured down its path before noticing a small box with a familiar-looking glow around it placed in the furthest crevice along the back wall. He smoothly made his way over to it, excitement rushing through him when he realized why the blue glow looked so familiar; it was protected by a siren's moon spell. His family used the moon spell to keep their many ancient artifacts and treasures locked away.

The spell was simple; only those with a blood relation to the person who cast it could open it, therefore family artifacts could be preserved and passed down safely through generations. Sure enough, as Seokjin got close enough to pick the box up, he could see the small seal of the moon on its top. As he stared at it longer his excitement faded, he would have to find a siren related to the one who cast it before even knowing if the crystal piece was inside.

While he was pondering over what to do, he failed to notice the goddess wake from her slumber. It was as if his presence couldn't be hidden from her, and when Seokjin finally realized the danger he was in it was too late. She had snatched the box from his hand and was hissing menacingly.

Resorting to the only power he had Seokjin demanded, _"Give it back to me."_

Selene wasn't a male and she wasn't human, so Seokjin didn't really think his charming effects would work, but it was almost a reflex by that point. For a moment Selene's hands twitched as if she was going to comply, but instead, her grip tightened and a look of amusement crossed her face.

"My slave," she purred, "how are you so clever?"

Seokjin felt anger bubble up inside of him, "Your mind tricks don't work on me!" he screamed, "I'm not your slave."

Selene faltered, at a loss of how the male in front of her could be so unaffected and bold, she had never encountered such a person. "Guards!" She bellowed, and immediately the two outside the door burst inside. Seokjin realized that, despite her mind control, the goddess must not have any other defense, which is why she surrounded herself by minions who would protect her if her tricks ever failed.

"Drown him," she hissed, and to Seokjin's dismay, he saw that the guards must have rotated for the night because the one that approached him was anything but a comfort.

"Yoongi," Seokjin whispered when Yoongi grabbed him by his arms and jerked him roughly around, "this isn't you, stop."

Selene smiled wickedly, "They only listen to me, boy."

Seokjin smirked, suddenly having a feeling that he was going to enjoy this. _"Stop."_ He commanded, halting Yoongi's actions.

Selene looked shocked, "Kill him!" she ordered, and this time the other guard decided to help Yoongi fulfill his order.

 _"Don't touch me,"_ Seokjin commanded with a bored expression and the two immediately let go.

Selene was in an uproar, having never met anyone who could defy her like that. "I said DROWN HIM!" she bellowed, her chest rising up and down in heated anger.

 _"No,"_ Seokjin halted their actions once again, _"kill her."_

This began the almost comical display of the two mind-controlling creatures attempting to use the guards to attack the other. However, it became a lot less comical when the one guard Seokjin was unacquainted with began to clutch his head and scream, clearly, the conflicted control was too much for his brain to handle.

"I demand you to end his life quickly!" Selene yelled, despite the guard's current state.

Seokjin almost hesitated, but not wanting to become fish food he quickly demanded back, _"Don't touch me."_

That was enough for the poor brainwashed guard. With a strangled cry he slowly fell to the floor and lay motionless. A deep fear and sickness clutched at Seokjin's stomach as he knelt down to check the guard's responsiveness; there was none.

As if sensing that she had found his weakness, Selene turned to Yoongi and demanded, "Kill him...slowly."

And as Yoongi approached Seokjin with an exhausted expression, he waited until the last minute before commanding weakly, _"Don't listen to her."_

"Listen to me!" Selene shrieked, and Yoongi clutched his head and cried out in pain, just as the other guard had done.

This time when Yoongi approached him, Seokjin let him. He let Yoongi grab a hold of his arms and twist them painfully behind his back. It was almost comical, really, Seokjin had spent years preying on Yoongi in high school as if he was weak, who knew that he possessed all of this strength and fighting ability? Yoongi reached around and covered Seokjin's nose and mouth, as if attempting to cut off his airway, but instead Seokjin found his lungs filling with water.

Coughing and sputtering, Seokjin shoved Yoongi away, catching him by surprise. He almost used his voice but didn't want to explain to the others how he accidentally killed their friend. _But he was already missing._ The thought that he could get away with it crossed his mind briefly, but Seokjin, cold as he could be, was not going to intentionally murder someone he was beginning to be able to call a friend; even if it was in self-defense. Though the man in front of him wasn't in control of his own actions, Seokjin was in control of his own.

So he fled down the dark hallway, not daring to look back. He was using his arms as if he was swimming in hopes that he would move faster, but fortunately, Yoongi was also struggling to move at a quick pace. He could hear Selene's laugh behind them when he reached the end of the hall to find there was no exit. He turned to see Yoongi sluggishly making his way over to him with the goddess gliding gracefully behind.

Turning back around he discovered the only purpose of the hallway was to lead to a large pool of water. It was encased in what looked like clear glass and only came up to Seokjin's knees, but looked like it settled deeper into the ground for an unmeasurable distance. Looking closer he noticed something oddly familiar about the pool of water, the landscape looked identical to the one they were in. A palace sat in the middle as tiny fish swam around, it looked like a miniature play version of the place they were at.

Seokjin reached his hand over the glass case and touched the cool liquid inside, immediately his legs tingled and he snatched his hand back before the urge to turn became too strong.

"Don't touch that!" Selene shrieked, gliding closer to him.

"What is it?" Seokjin asked, not expecting her to actually answer.

"My reflection and your reality," she hissed proudly, "it is precious to me."

Seokjin smiled, "So you wouldn't like it if I managed to break it?" he asked casually.

Selene laughed, "Foolish slave, you couldn't break it if you wanted to!"

He frowned as Yoongi came and stood next to him, awaiting the goddess's order. "That sounds like a challenge," Seokjin murmured, slowly reaching his hand out behind him and focusing on the water. It began to churn and expand slowly, what he wasn't expecting was the room around him to shake with it.

"Stop that!" Selene shrieked, rushing forward but being shoved back easily by Seokjin. "Guard! Stop him!"

Seokjin began to expand the water quicker, it pushed against the glass and cracked it slightly. He started to slowly freeze it in hopes of breaking through but stopped immediately after the air around them became so cold he almost couldn't breathe. It did successfully stop Yoongi without hitting his mind anymore though.

"Everything I do to this water happens to whatever surrounds us," Seokjin stated out loud in an attempt to wrap his mind around the situation.

Selene dropped the box in her hands and ran towards the glass, "Stop it!" she yelled, "My home, you're ruining everything I've built." She was sobbing now as Seokjin continued to move the water.

A small wave splashed over the side of the encasement and immediately rose and expanded around them until they were in waist-high water. Seokjin grit his teeth as he fought the turn, desperate to break the glass case first.

"No!" Selene sobbed, "My beautiful, beautiful reflection." Suddenly she turned to look at Seokjin and screamed, "You'll kill them all! My slaves, their blood will be on your hands if you break this, not mine."

Seokjin gulped and then did the most selfish thing he had ever done. _Break it,"_ he commanded Yoongi, who immediately was in search of a loose stone and cutting at the already cracked glass. Together they furthered the damage before the water started to pour out and fill the room quickly. As Seokjin gave in to his transformation the goddess's eyes widened.

"No," she whispered, "he warned me about you."

And then the glass broke, flooding the room and everything else with water and sea creatures that his hands couldn't just slip through. Seokjin knew that they had to make it to the surface fast because while he had the lung capacity to withstand being this far under the sea, he was positive that Yoongi and Jimin didn't.

He tried not to think about how he had no idea where Jimin was or if he could get to him in time.

Selene was breathing under the water, still crying as she attempted to collect the pieces of the glass case, but Yoongi was struggling. His eyes were wide as he struggled to not gasp for air that wasn't there. Seokjin was really going to regret this, and he knew that Yoongi had gotten the power over himself back because when Seokjin attempted to press his lips to his, he squirmed away.

Seokjin pulled him back and pressed his lips to Yoongi's, breathing much-needed oxygen into Yoongi's already spent lungs. When he pulled away Yoongi was giving him a look that said 'I'd rather be dead,' but Seokjin simply grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him up.

Suddenly he remembered the box, but when he looked back down it had washed away with the current and was nowhere to be found. Deciding that he'd rather get Yoongi to land before having to repeat his earlier action, Seokjin grabbed a hold of him and swam out of one of the gaps in the stone and to the surface. With his powerful tail they broke through the surface in seconds, Yoongi was immediately coughing up water and yelling profanities, but Seokjin simply left him to swim weakly towards the shore by himself and headed back down to the palace.

Once back inside the castle, he swam quickly around in desperation as he looked for Jimin's familiar face amongst the other males drowning around him. He didn't think he'd ever get the image out of his mind as he passed the men choking on water, not understanding where they were or even that they were slowly dying. He could have saved a few of them, grabbed them two, three at a time, and dragged them to the surface, but his priority was Jimin and he wasn't sure if that was selfish or selfless.

Seokjin finally spotted Jimin around the same time he spotted the box. It had been washed into a corner next to where Jimin and a few others lifelessly floated. He thanked Poseidon or whatever god that made that happen and grabbed both Jimin and the box in one swoop. Suddenly, a sharp object cut into his shoulder and dug deep into his skin.

He turned to see Selene holding a shard of glass in her hands, making one final attempt to stop him. With three powerful kicks of his tail, he was back up to the surface and dragging Jimin with him to the sandy shore, leaving the goddess to follow after.

"What the hell!" Yoongi yelled as he lay on the sand gasping for air, "You just left me to fend for myself when you have a literal fishtail!?" He quickly shut up, however, when he noticed Seokjin dragging Jimin's motionless body onto the dry land.

 _"Save him,"_ Seokjin demanded, using his siren voice out of habit even though he was sure that Yoongi was going to attempt and do just that anyway.

Turning back to the body of water, he noticed Selene approaching the shore. She was a lot bigger above the surface and Seokjin would be lying if he said she didn't scare the crap out of him. Dropping the box beside him, he raised two hands and began to freeze the surface of the water around her. He made sure to freeze enough of the surface to successfully trap her in-between the ice so that she was unable to move.

"It won't last forever," Seokjin weakly murmured, ignoring her cries from behind him as he turned back to Yoongi who was vigorously pumping his hands on Jimin's chest.

"He needs oxygen," Seokjin pointed out as he slowly felt himself warming in the sun and transforming back. Yoongi didn't bother telling him that was an outdated practice and instead pressed his mouth to Jimin's, breathing everything he had into him.

"Do something!" Yoongi cried out in fear and frustration when Jimin's body still wasn't reacting.

"I can't," Seokjin whispered, feeling faint from the blood he was quickly losing through the cut in his arm.

Suddenly, Jimin stirred and began to choke. "Turn him on his side," Seokjin weakly said, watching as Yoongi rolled Jimin over and let him cough up the water that was in his lungs.

When Jimin finally stopped coughing, his eyes fluttered closed and Yoongi rolled him over onto his back. "Thank you," Yoongi whispered, gently rubbing circles on Jimin's forearm, "for not dying."

Jimin's eyes slowly fluttered open and locked with Yoongi's, immediately Yoongi noticed how they flashed red, but for once it didn't bother him. He had almost lost him, and he had finally accepted the fact that he would never be able to do anything but save the younger, demon blood or not.

"You're here and alive!?" Jimin croaked out; last he remembered, Yoongi had disappeared entirely.

"You're asking _me_ that!?" Yoongi exclaimed, "You almost died!"

"Oh," Jimin whispered, "I don't remember." Being brainwashed would have that effect on anyone. "Beomgyu is calling for me," he suddenly said, reaching up to grasp his necklace.

"Don't," Yoongi murmured, "don't respond, not yet."

"Why not?" Jimin asked with confusion.

"Because if you were talking to him I wouldn't be able to do this," and with those words, Yoongi leaned down and captured Jimin's lips with his own.

It was the second time their lips had met, only this time he took Jimin's breath away.


	27. I'm a...a WHAT!?

  
"Isn't the sky absolutely gorgeous?" Seokjin was saying, his back cushioned by the white floral meadow he was lying in. They were residing in a warm, open field they had found between the forest they had come out of and the town they had originally left.

Yoongi looked at him warily, "Ah, sure. But hyung-"

"I never thought I'd miss it this much," Seokjin continued, "you really don't remember your experience trapped down there at all?"

Jimin shook his head, "Can we talk about this later? I really think we should focus on your arm."

Seokjin glanced down at his shoulder where Selene had cut him. Yoongi had torn the jacket Seokjin had worn and wrapped it tightly around the cut, which Seokjin found rather annoying because that left him to wear Jimin's significantly smaller jacket around his waist as pants. Blood was already seeping through the jacket around the wound making Seokjin feel nauseous and tired.

Seokjin waved his hand dismissively. "It's just a small scratch," he assured.

"You literally passed out on the beach," Jimin reminded him.

"Yeah, and I had to carry your naked ass all the way over here," Yoongi added with a grumble.

"Yeah, well maybe I wouldn't have passed out if you had come to my aid quicker instead of shoving your tongue down Jimin's throat!" Seokjin snapped. Jimin's face turned bright red at the memory and he quickly hid behind his hands.

Yoongi growled lowly, "I thought we agreed to drop that for now?" he hissed, "There are clearly more pressing matters at hand."

"Like how everyone is fleeing from Yoon Mirae's house," Jimin reminded while wrapping his hand around the necklace he shared with his brother. Desperate to change the subject he added, "But Beomgyu hasn't explained why. We're simply under strict orders not to return."

"Okay, so things are a little more complicated than we hoped for, no big deal!" Seokjin exclaimed though he was feeling light-headed again.

"I could run back into town and find us some supplies," Yoongi offered.

Jimin quickly clutched onto his arm, "Don't you dare!" he demanded, clinging as tightly as he could. "You've been missing for weeks, I'm not letting you out of my sight again."

Yoongi frowned, "What if I have to pee?"

Jimin bit his lip thoughtfully, "Then Seokjin can watch you," he finally settled on.

"No!" Yoongi and Seokjin exclaimed at the same time while Jimin held back a giggle.

"Okay, but seriously," Yoongi turned towards Seokjin, "let me at least secure your wound better."

"Fine," Seokjin grumbled. As Yoongi skillfully began to tend to his cut and apply much-needed pressure to it, Seokjin couldn't help but wonder how he had become so skilled in the first aid department.

"Yoongi," he began slowly, "how did you end up down there?"

Yoongi stopped his movements for a moment before he began to apply more pressure. "Someone told me I may find you guys there," he finally answered.

"Who?" Jimin asked, his hand still resting on Yoongi's forearm as if he was afraid if he let him go he would vanish again.

"A bartender," Yoongi answered, finally finishing binding up Seokjin's cut.

"A bartender told you to jump in a lake and you listened to them?" Seokjin asked with a snort, "Gosh, you really have been relying on Namjoon's brain all school year haven't you?"

Yoongi intentionally tightened his bandage extra tight, causing Seokjin to wince in pain. "He didn't tell me to jump in the lake," Yoongi explained with an irritated expression, "he told me a legend that many of the locals know."

"What legend?" Seokjin asked curiously.

"One about a lake that people mysteriously disappeared in and something about a sea goddess," Yoongi replied.

"Why did you figure that would lead you to us?" Jimin asked with a confused pout.

Yoongi shrugged, "Because it was weird and weird things seem to follow you around. And besides," he reached into his tight jeans pocket and pulled out a wrinkled, slightly soggy cloth napkin. "The bartender told me a rhyme that reminded me of Jin, actually. I thought it was strange so I wrote it down in order to not forget it."

Yoongi smoothed the napkin out on his knee, the blue ink was bleeding together, but the words were still legible.

' _A lonely sailor hears the call,_

_The one who causes men to fall,_

_The moon complete lies ahead,_

_Notes like heaven consume the dead._

_A beauty to many,_

_A terror to all,_

_Come forth the creature who sends the call.'_

"How did that remind you of Jin?" Jimin asked with a wrinkle of his nose.

Yoongi smiled, "Because he's a siren," he softly explained. "The bartender said that many years ago that this riddle was apparently etched onto the blue rock over the lake. Men would go to explore the lake but would never come back. The words eventually eroded away but had been talked about enough that the locals remembered it; became a legend of sorts."

"This doesn't help us at all!" Seokjin exclaimed with frustration, wincing when he moved his arm out of habit. "We still don't have the crystal piece, we failed our mission and wasted our time."

"But we found Yoongi," Jimin pointed out with an adorable smile.

Seokjin glowered, "As I said," he grumbled, "mission failed."

Yoongi looked between the two with confusion, "Crystal piece?" he asked.

"Oh gosh," Seokjin covered his eyes with his uninjured arm, "I don't feel like explaining."

Jimin sighed, "I'll do it," he unenthusiastically volunteered.

With as much accuracy as he could, Jimin explained to Yoongi about the crystal pieces that, once found and brought together, formed the eternal, the riddle that had been torn and separated throughout the years, and the little knowledge they had about Akshin and what he was after. Seokjin actually ended up explaining the majority of it as he was unable to keep from interjecting his opinion which irritated Jimin. By the time they were finished Yoongi had a headache and Seokjin was slipping in and out of consciousness.

"We really need to get his wound healed," Yoongi murmured, still trying to take in all of the information he had been given. "And then we need to meet up with the others to figure out what to do next."

Blood was seeping out of Seokjin's bandage and running down his arm as he managed to choke out, "It doesn't matter. We're going back empty-handed, I failed."

Jimin felt genuinely sorry for Seokjin, he had never seen him this dejected before. "You didn't fail, hyung," he assured, "we're not going back empty-handed, we have Yoongi!"

"Well no offense but I'd rather have the crystal piece," Seokjin snapped.

Yoongi scoffed, "Offense taken!"

Jimin sighed and grabbed the small box that Seokjin had taken from the palace. "You have this," he reminded him, though he wasn't sure what 'this' was because try as he might, he couldn't get it open.

Seokjin reached out his hand to take the box. "Can't open it," he mumbled, "it's a special seal."

"What sort of seal?" Yoongi asked curiously, unknownst to them, he had quite the background in breaking seals. Granted they were usually seals that his parents used to lock up their special weapons that they insisted he wasn't old enough to handle, but still he had never seen a seal that glowed the way this particular one did.

"My family uses it," Seokjin explained with a tired sigh, "only blood relatives of the one who cast the seal can open it."

Jimin took the box back and fiddled with it until it suddenly popped open. He dropped it on the grass in surprise. "I don't know what I did!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up innocently.

Yoongi grabbed the box before Seokjin could and gasped, inside was a beautiful crystal stone. It was a strong, foggy, flat shard with white etchings. ' _Moon'_ was written on one side while the other side had the carvings of a restless sea.

Seokjin smiled weakly, "I don't know what you did, Jimin," he murmured before closing his eyes, "but now I can die happily."

"You're not going to die," Yoongi hissed, kicking him harshly on the side to keep him from passing out again; Seokjin shrieked with surprise and irritation. "And I don't think it was Jimin who unlocked the box."

Yoongi hovered the box directly in front of Seokjin's face. The siren squinted, all he saw was the dull, brown box with a little bit of his blood on the wood from when he had held it in his injured arm's hand. Suddenly he understood what Yoongi was implying.

"No," Seokjin whispered, grabbing the box to look at it closer.

"What?" Jimin asked in confusion.

"It appears that Jin here is a descendant of whoever sealed this box," Yoongi explained.

"The goddess!?" Jimin shouted, eyeing Seokjin warily.

"No," Seokjin quickly shook his head, "I don't think she even knew how to open it."

"Then who?"

Seokjin gulped, "Perhaps the original shard owner," he whispered, "one of the seven."

"Woah," Jimin said in awe and slight disbelief.

"Hey, look at this." Yoongi was staring intently at the inside of the box's lid. "I think there's another poem."

Seokjin struggled to sit up and look at it, "What does it say?" he finally croaked out, giving up on seeing the etching on the top of the lid.

Yoongi squinted, "I don't know, my eyes are shit and the letters are tiny."

Jimin rolled his eyes, "Give it to me," he demanded, snatching the box away.

 _'Life and death at the hands of one,'_ he began to read, _'visions plague the innocent son. A sound so fierce it wakes the dead, voices like glass invade the head. A holy cathedra, a grave to find, a simple task to look behind.'_

Jimin looked up from the box, "Okay," he murmured, "I'm very lost and a little creeped out."

"Well," Yoongi began slowly, "if the last riddle was about a siren, wouldn't it make sense if this riddle was about another being that helped construct the Eternal thing you guys were telling me about?"

"I suppose so," Jimin hummed, "but what creature?"

"I have no idea," Yoongi admitted, "any thoughts oh wise hyung?" he teased, turning to look at Seokjin who was passed out cold on the grassy floor.

"Oh, shit."

...

"Anything over there?"

"No, this is hopeless."

Taehyung frowned at Jungkook who was slouched over in defeat on the library floor. Jungkook and he were exploring the room after Namjoon revealed where he had found the secret panel with the letters. They had waited until they thought everyone was asleep, grabbed flashlights, and began to scour every inch of the large library.

"You can't give up now!" Taehyung whined from the top of one of the many ladders located in the room, he was searching the highest bookshelf while attempting to not visibly disturb anything; they couldn't risk getting caught snooping around.

"We don't even know what we're looking for," Jungkook argued back, tracing patterns on the deep red-colored carpet with his finger absentmindedly.

"I told you, there's no way that the hidden panel and all those letters were Yoon Mirae's _only_ secrets, she's definitely hiding something else." Taehyung tugged on a few of the books, frowning when they didn't pull out. "These are stuck," he murmured, tugging harder.

"Yeah, she probably over packed the shelf don't-AHH '' Jungkook interrupted his sentence with a yelp to roll away from the books Taehyung had accidentally dropped down below after an aggressive pull.

"Oh," Taehyung frowned as his hand ran along the back wall, "there's nothing here."

Jungkook sighed, "I told you," he grumbled.

As Taehyung continued his search, Jungkook made himself comfortable on the floor again. He reached out and grabbed one of the fallen novels, ' _The Mythics_ ,' well, that could be an interesting read. The book looked like it had been poured over for many years, it's cover was worn and it's pages well-read. Jungkook opened up the front cover and read the copyright; _'Written and Researched by Akakios.'_ On the other side of the cover was inscribed the phrase _'Ab Aeterno.'_ Jungkook ran his finger over it with curiosity and decided he would have to ask Namjoon about it when he got the chance in hopes that he would know what it meant.

Jungkook opened up to a random page and began to giggle, "Tae, did you know there's a creature called a Brownie?"

"A Brownie? Wait, can you only see them when you eat brownies?" Taehyung asked, climbing down the ladder, "Because remember those cafeteria brownies I ate last year that made me see things?"

"Those were pot brownies," Jungkook reminded him with a laugh, "Jackson got expelled for swapping them with the regular brownies, the entire school was seeing things that day."

"Oh, right." Taehyung settled beside him to look over the book, their shoulders brushed together comfortably.

_'...small spirits that inhabit houses. They do not desire to communicate with humanoids and do not favor to be seen. The_ _**Brownie** _ _will complete household chores in exchange for small gifts or food.'_

Taehyung looked up from reading as Jungkook traced the black and white drawing of the ugly creature with beady little eyes and stubby legs with his finger. "I could really use a Brownie for my bedroom," he said with a laugh before turning to another random page.

_'The_ _**Pixie** _ _will commonly shapeshift into small creatures to hide from their targets. While on occasion have been known to help travelers they deem worthy, they are usually seen pulling pranks and leading travelers astray...'_

Taehyung pinched Jungkook's arm, "Are you reading this!?" he exclaimed.

Jungkook nodded, looking at the picture of the small, pointy-eared creature. " _'Pixies will often lead travelers into the woods, leaving them lost and confused until the traveler collapses.'"_ he read out loud.

"Doesn't that sound like what happened to Jimin?" Taehyung asked nervously.

Jungkook nodded, "Well, at least there's a logical explanation for how he ended up passed out in the woods," he offered up.

Taehyung snorted, "Logical!? There's nothing logical about any of this."

"I thought we were over trying to understand this," Jungkook mumbled with an eye roll, turning to look at another page.

"Ahem," Taehyung said out loud, snatching the book away from Jungkook who reached out with a whine. Taehyung laughed and rolled on his back with the book above his head, Jungkook laid his head on his best friend's stomach with a pout. "I'm going to read it to you and you have to guess which creature it is."

"Fine," Jungkook agreed with a huff, their previous mission forgotten.

" _'...created from humans who have taken part in an act of cannibalism-'"_

Jungkook cut Taehyung off with a shriek, "I don't want to know!" he yelled, covering his ears, "I didn't need to know that a creature like that existed."

Taehyung laughed and continued to read in a teasing tone. " _'They are said to stand at approximately seven feet, their bodies resembling that of an elongated human. Their pale white skin, stretched tightly over their bones, makes them appear emaciated-'"_

"LA LA LA LA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Jungkook shrieked, covering his ears as Taehyung began to speak louder, forgetting that the rest of the house was asleep.

" _'IS STRONGER THAN ANY MAN-MADE WEAPON AND CAN ONLY BE WEAKENED WITH FIRE!'"_ he screamed, the book almost falling on his face as he laughed at Jungkook's shivering.

"Okay, okay," Taehyung relented, "I'm done, you can uncover your ears now, that was the description of a Wendigo."

Jungkook glared at him as he turned the page. "Okay," Taehyung continued, "now this creature looks harmless enough," he said with a giggle.

" _'...appearing to be human for the majority of their adolescence, they only show obvious signs once they reach adulthood. Some signs may be anxious feelings followed by an event leading to a tragic ending,'_ " Taehyung paused his reading as he looked over the next part with a surprise stricken face.

"What?" Jungkook bugged, nudging him to keep reading. Taehyung sat up, prompting Jungkook to as well, and let him wrap his arms around Taehyung's waist and rest his chin on his shoulder.

" _'...the irresistible urge to scream,'_ " Taehyung continued reading as Jungkook's eyes widened with every word, _'and horrifying visions that come as dreams that eventually come to life later on. Unless the person is already aware of their ancestry, many never understand what these symptoms mean.'_ "

Taehyung finished reading and stared at Jungkook, who looked like he was going to be sick. "That's not all," he finally whispered.

Jungkook gulped, "What else?" he asked.

Taehyung looked at him warily before continuing, " _'They are rumored to be able to converse with the spirits of the dead, and on rare occasions, control them.'"_ Jungkook let out a scared squeak as Taehyung read further.

" _'Many humans fear this creature for the bad luck they believe that it brings with it.'_ " Taehyung finished, looking at Jungkook who had let go of his waist and instead clasped his arms around himself.

"What creature is it?" Jungkook finally asked in a small whisper. Taehyung handed him the book so he could read the name of the creature and its description himself.

"Oh my gosh," Jungkook choked out as he read the page with his own eyes, "I'm a monster, Tae," his eyes were watering slightly as he ran his fingers over the name.

"No," Taehyung cried out, wrapping his arms around his friend, "no you're not," he promised.

Jungkook shoved him away and stood up, his head rested in his hands, "All this time," he murmured, "I knew they were visions, not dreams, I just," he paused, "I didn't want to believe I could be capable of something like that."

Taehyung jumped to his feet and grabbed Jungkook's hands, "Look at me!" he demanded. "This changes nothing, you're still Jungkook, my best friend since kindergarten, I'll never be afraid of you."

Jungkook looked at him through his wet lashes, "But-"

"Jungkook," Taehyung silenced him, placing a hand over his cheek, "I promise." They stood like that for a moment, not once breaking each other's gaze.

Suddenly Namjoon burst into the room, panting loudly. "I don't even want an explanation of what you two are doing in here at this hour, but we need to go. Right now," he commanded.

The urgency in his voice was enough to startle the boys into action. Taehyung grabbed ahold of Jungkook's hand and dragged him with him as they fled towards the door. Jungkook almost protested and told them to leave him behind, a new understanding of who he was pressured heavily over his conscience, but Taehyung's reassuring grip changed his mind.

"We don't have to tell anyone," Taehyung whispered, looking back at Jungkook's hesitant face. With a slow nod, Jungkook willed his feet to move and they were running.

Before they left the library Jungkook let the old book drop from his hands onto the plush rug behind them with a heavy thud, because nobody else needed to read it and fear him like he now feared himself.


	28. Reunited

The wind whipped through Taehyung's hair as he ran through the darkened forest, his hand clutched tightly in Jungkook's. Namjoon and the others were a ways ahead of them, Beomgyu clutched ahold of Namjoon's hand desperately while Kai ran ahead attempting to look brave. Hoseok and Taehyun were behind them, attempting to lead Yoon Mirae's minion astray. It was their job to keep it from reaching them, and so far they had succeeded.

Namjoon hadn't explained anything other than a quick "Yoon Mirae is working for Akshin" comment that had given Taehyung enough reason to blindly follow him out of the house and into the darkened streets. It hadn't taken long to reach the forest's edge, and even though they had no idea where they were going, they kept running. Unfortunately, a warning shout from Taehyun informed them that someone or something was chasing them. Namjoon took one look behind and picked up the pace, yelling at the others to not look back, that he recognized whatever creature Yoon Mirae had sent after them and it was dangerous.

The shadows cast by the moon made the scene eerie, and the cold chill soaked through their sweaty, adrenaline pumped bodies. Taehyung squeezed Jungkook's clammy hand reassuringly as they continued to run deeper into the forest. Suddenly there was a shout behind them. Taehyung looked back and saw Taehyun come bursting through the underbrush.

"It found us!" Taehyun screamed, running with deft movements to catch up with the others.

"How?" Taehyung asked, gripping Jungkook's hand that was trembling with fear.

"I don't know," Taehyun cried, pushing them to turn forward and run faster, "Hoseok said he had us covered and was going to use magic to put up a barrier, but somehow it's gotten past it."

Taehyung shared a nervous look with Jungkook. "Go warn Namjoon," he demanded. "Beomgyu needs to let Jimin know that it's not safe for them to meet up with us just yet, they need to stay away and protect the crystal piece." Taehyun quickly ran ahead of them to seek out the others and relay the message.

"How did you get so smart?" Jungkook asked with a raised brow.

Taehyung smiled teasingly, "What do you mean? I've always been good at ordering people around."

"Ooo, he's not just bossy, ladies and gentlemen, but arrogant too!"

"What about you?" Taehyung asked with a labored laugh. "Mr. Video Game Pro, you going to protect me with your impressive fighting skills?"

Before Jungkook could reply, sharp jaws wrapped around his ankle and pulled him backward and to the ground. Taehyung whipped around to come face to face with a snarling dog-like creature. Its body was massive and covered in grey fur, but half of its head was stripped of its skin so that its skull was visible. It had let go of Jungkook's leg and was standing over him, growling viciously as Jungkook screamed at Taehyung to run and save himself.

It was an impossible situation, really. Jungkook's powers were so far limited to screaming uncontrollably and a few unruly nightmares, while Taehyung was a self-proclaimed mortal prince; a lot of good that status did him in this situation. Despite the knowledge that he wouldn't be able to defeat the beast in front of him, Taehyung couldn't leave Jungkook, that was out of the question.

He lunged forward and wrapped his arms under Jungkook's and proceeded to drag his friend to a standing position. The creature let him, almost in a sinister way as if it knew that it couldn't be defeated by the weak humans in front of it.

"Jungkook," Taehyung whispered, his body shaking with fear, "scream."

"What?"

"Scream!"

Despite the odd request, Jungkook opened his mouth and screamed. Even when it was voluntary his volume was still louder than Taehyung's would ever be. Taehyung didn't know what he was hoping for; that one of the others in their group would hear and come to their aid? That Jungkook's powers hadn't been completely explored and he would be able to call fire down from the heavens?

However, the ear-piercing scream only seemed to annoy the creature in front of them further, and with a low growl from its mouth, it lunged forward with the intent to tear both boys to shreds. Before Jungkook could react, Taehyung had shoved him as far as he could behind him. Jungkook stumbled on a rock and fell to his back with a cry, helplessly watching as Taehyung jumped backward from the assault and hovered over him in a protective manner.

"Run!" Taehyung screamed, kicking at Jungkook but never taking his eyes off the creature.

"But you-"

"RUN, JUNGKOOK!" Taehyung pleaded. He knew he couldn't defeat the ferocious beast in front of him, but he could at least buy Jungkook some time to save himself.

"I won't leave you," Jungkook stated, standing with a wince and wrapping his arms around Taehyung.

"We're going to die," Taehyung whispered, reaching around to clutch Jungkook's hand as the creature taunted them by walking calmly around them in a circle.

"I have to tell you something," Jungkook began, squeezing Taehyung's hand tighter.

"We're going to die," Taehyung repeated numbly, wincing as the creature sniffed the bloody wound on Jungkook's leg and let out a satisfied howl.

"I know, which is why I need to tell you that I-"

"I don't want to die," Taehyung interrupted, before suddenly running off in the direction they came, dragging Jungkook behind.

The creature caught up to them in a matter of seconds and this time didn't appear to be in the mood to play. It launched forward and latched its jaws around the previous wound on Jungkook's leg. As Jungkook screamed in pain Taehyung couldn't help but think about how cowardly it really was to go for an obvious weakness.

Without thinking, Taehyung launched himself onto the creature's large back and held on for dear life as it thrashed around. "LET HIM GO!" he screamed, and a snarl from its mouth told him that it had. It didn't take much effort on the beast's part to throw the human off and stalk over to him. Taehyung had landed on his back and was scrambling backward when it looked over him. With a cry, he threw his hands up in a weak attempt to protect his face.

Suddenly, a loud whimper from the creature had him opening his eyes. It yelped and struggled against something as it was pulled backward and away from Taehyung. Jungkook quickly limped over to Taehyung to make sure he was okay, before turning to watch as the flailing creature was quite literally dragged through the mud.

When Taehyung finally saw the beast through the dark of the night, he couldn't believe his eyes. A tree root had wrapped around both of its back paws and was pulling it into the underbrush, swallowing it whole. Deciding that they shouldn't stick around in case it managed to free itself, Taehyung stood to his feet and began to run, motioning for Jungkook to follow.

He looked back when he heard a slight cry and his eyes widened, "Jungkook, oh shit, I forgot!"

Taehyung ran over to his limping friend and inspected his hurt leg. "It's not that bad," he promised, taking off his jacket and tearing at the sleeve seam with his teeth to wrap the bloody bite.

"It's fine," Jungkook said through gritted teeth. "I can walk."

Taehyung shook his head and bent over, motioning for Jungkook to hop on his back. After a moment of hesitation, Jungkook jumped up and wrapped his arms and legs around Taehyung's neck and waist. "Does it hurt bad?" Taehyung asked as they hiked into the forest towards where the others had run off.

"No," Jungkook lied before burying his face in Taehyung's shoulder for comfort.

"Oh, by the way, what was it that you were going to tell me?" Taehyung suddenly asked, turning his head to glance at Jungkook.

"What?"

"Back there, you said you needed to tell me something, but I didn't give you the chance."

"Oh," Jungkook bit his lip nervously, "it's not important now," he finally said. He was grateful when Taehyung didn't push the matter and let them lapse back into silence.

Finally, they caught up to Namjoon who was attempting to comfort Beomgyu, who was scared out of his mind. "What happened!?" Namjoon yelled, running over to the two boys and immediately checking over Jungkook's leg. Taehyun pulled Beomgyu and Kai close to him for comfort and Taehyung couldn't help but notice that Hoseok wasn't there with them.

Taehyung refused to put Jungkook down, even after he began to explain to Namjoon what had happened. "W-we were running," he began with a shaky breath, "and then it came out of nowhere and grabbed Jungkook."

"The Inugami?" Namjoon asked.

"The what now?" Taehyung asked with a confused expression. Jungkook whimpered weakly into his neck in confusion as well.

"It's the creature I saw behind us when we first reached the edge of the forest," Namjoon explained. "Its sole purpose is to serve its master, who I assume is Yoon Mirae, in any way possible. They're viciously loyal and extremely difficult to defeat since their true form is the spirit of a dog."

"Yeah," Jungkook answered with fear evident in his shaky voice, "I think that's what it was."

"How do you know all that?" Taehyun asked slowly.

"I did a lot of reading in Yoon Mirae's library, remember?" Namjoon reminded him. "I'd like to be useful even though I am a mortal." Taehyun nodded in understanding while Taehyung wished that he too could find a way to be useful as a mortal.

"How did you manage to get away!?" Kai exclaimed nervously.

"I...I don't know," Taehyung admitted.

"It was about to eat Tae!" Jungkook yelled, lifting his head from where it had been resting on Taehyung's shoulder. "But then this tree attacked it."

"A tree?" Namjoon asked, surprised.

"Not exactly a tree," Taehyung interjected, "but a tree root. It wrapped around the creature and pulled it away from me."

Namjoon frowned, "I didn't read anything about trees helping people," he admitted.

"Maybe it was the pixies!?" Jungkook suddenly exclaimed. "Remember, we read about them," he reminded Taehyung.

"Yeah but," Taehyung paused in thought, "the book also said that pixies don't generally help travelers."

Just then, Hoseok came bursting through the underbrush and running towards the group. "I'm sorry guys," he breathlessly spoke, "I thought my barrier could hold but my magic wasn't powerful enough."

Namjoon eyed him warily but said nothing.

Hoseok continued, "I stumbled upon a cave though, it's large enough to house all of us for the night and there's only one opening so it will be easy to guard."

"Or trap us," Namjoon muttered, the others looked at him curiously. "What?" he asked. "One entrance means one exit."

"I think it's our best bet," Hoseok argued.

Namjoon snorted, "Of course you do."

Before the two could break into a full-on argument Taehyung stepped forward. "I think Hoseok has a point," he said, eyeing the two carefully, "It's the only choice we have." After arguing some more about logistics, Namjoon finally agreed and the group managed to make their way over to the cave.

"Do you think Jimin can find us here?" Beomgyu asked with a hopeful gaze.

Namjoon smiled and ruffled his hair fondly. "Even if he can't tonight we'll make sure to find him tomorrow when things have settled down, okay bud?" Beomgyu nodded slowly, clutching his only connection to his older brother in his fists.

Hoseok was right, the cave had one, very small entrance. Everyone had to drop to their hands and knees in order to enter it. "I'll stand guard first," Hoseok offered.

Namjoon frowned, "Two people on guard at a time," he demanded.

"Why?" Taehyun asked curiously.

Namjoon eyed Hoseok, "Safety in numbers," he finally answered. "I'll take watch with Hobi."

Kai walked over and clutched onto his older brother's arm. "Are we not telling them," he whispered with wide eyes, "about what I saw?"

Namjoon shook his head, "Not right now," he whispered back. "Try and get some sleep." He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Kai's head.

As Kai grabbed Beomgyu's hand and helped him into the cave, Namjoon felt his heart pulse with nervousness. He turned to Hoseok, "You're sending them back tomorrow, right?" It was more of a demand than a question.

Hoseok nodded, seemingly sharing his thoughts. "It's too dangerous for them out here," he stated.

The two men settled down outside the cave entrance. Namjoon had searched around the area until he found a branch small and dead enough to break off, but heavy enough to be considered a decent weapon. At least for mortals. He had a feeling that no stick would be big enough to fend off some of the beasts that lurked in the woods around them.

He caught himself dozing off a few times, but forced himself to stay awake; he needed his wits about him. Especially since he had a feeling that one of the beings he was protecting against sat right next to him. Suddenly, a loud crash and rustle could be heard from their right. Immediately Namjoon and Hoseok jumped up from their seated positions to stand guard.

For a moment they locked eyes, instead of fear Namjoon saw amusement glistening in Hoseok's expression.

"You find this funny!?" Namjoon hissed, his grip tightening over his stick.

"You mean do I find the image of you holding a rotten piece of wood to defend yourself against a mythical creature that could probably rip you apart with a breath of air? Yes, yes I do."

Another loud thud followed by a shallow scream and a low growl interrupted their banter.

"Namjoon," Hoseok growled lowly as they ventured towards the underbrush, "stay behind me." He had his hands raised in a defensive stance as they crept forward. Namjoon knew that Hoseok had been studying the book on spells every free chance he got, and could only hope that his fighting skills had improved. That and that he was fighting for their side.

The rustling got closer and they could tell that whatever was coming towards them was running. "Wake up the others," Hoseok demanded; they needed to be on guard too.

Namjoon stumbled back to the cave and loudly whispered, "There's something out here." Taehyung immediately pulled Jungkook closer while Taehyun and Kai began to scramble towards the cave entrance.

"What are you doing!?" Namjoon hissed, grabbing a hold of Kai once he had exited the safety of the cave.

"I'm going to help!" Kai exclaimed, "I'm not a child, I'm the same age as Taehyun and you let him fight, and frankly I have more muscle than you, you can't tell me what to do!"

Taehyun shot Namjoon a guilty expression before following after the stubborn male. The four boys stood in front of the dark trees where the suspicious noises were coming from. Namjoon could see the other three boys watching from the entrance of the cave, but not outside of it.

"What's the plan?" he asked Hoseok because frankly, he was the only one with them that possessed a useful power.

"I'm going to push it back as soon as it comes into view," Hoseok replied calmly. "If it continues it's advancements I'll blast it."

"You can do that?"

"We're about to find out."

Suddenly, the subject of their conversation came bursting through the thick foliage. True to his word, Hoseok threw out his hands and an invisible wave pushed them back. A sharp, oddly familiar cry caused Namjoon to freeze.

Hoseok must have heard it too because he lowered his hand and called out in shock, "Jin?"

"Well it's not the boogie man," another familiar voice spoke up.

"Yoongi!?" Namjoon shouted, running forward as Yoongi walked out from behind a thick tree.

"What the hell did you hit us with?" Yoongi continued, "Hurt like a mother f-" he was unable to continue his sentence as Namjoon barreled into him.

"You're okay!" Namjoon cried, "I mean, Jimin told us you were okay, but you've been missing for so long and-"

"Joon," Yoongi cut him off with a small smile, "I'm fine. Stop embarrassing yourself."

Meanwhile, Beomgyu had run out of the cave and was screaming his brother's name at the top of his lungs. Jimin broke through the underbrush and swooped him into his arms, both boys were crying with relief. "You found us," Beomgyu cried, holding tighter to Jimin.

"We heard one of Jungkook's screams," Jimin admitted, "and decided to head in that direction in hopes of stumbling upon you guys.

Seokjin had stumbled out into the small clearing, having taken the majority of Hoseok's defensive spell, he was unstable on his feet. With a dazed expression, he glanced around the group. Namjoon and Hoseok were standing next to each other and arguing about something, while Beomgyu guided Jimin and Yoongi over to the cave.

Hoseok and Namjoon both rushed over to him. "Jin," Hoseok cried out, "are you okay?"

Namjoon reached out to check him for any noticeable injuries, "Seokjin," he murmured with concern, "your arm!"

Seokjin looked at him for a moment before giving him a dizzy smile. "That's peaches to you," he muttered back before turning to Hoseok and collapsing in his arms.

"I didn't do that to you, did I!?" Hoseok exclaimed, looking at Seokjin's injured arm with concern.

Seokjin shook his head, "No, she cut me with glass."

Namjoon was about to ask who 'she' was, when Taehyun ran past him yelling, "Yoongi!? Oh my gosh!"

Yoongi turned and his face lit up, "Taehyun!?" he shrieked, opening his arms up to accept Taehyun's embrace.

"I didn't think that the Yoongi they kept talking about was you!" Taehyun babbled, holding tightly onto his old roommate that he had never expected to see. "I've missed you," he murmured.

Jimin was eyeing the two with a jealous gaze. "You know Taehyun?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes!" Taehyun answered for him. "Yoongi was my old-"

"Friend," Yoongi cut in quickly. "Taehyun and I are old friends." He grabbed ahold of Taehyun's arm and began to drag him away. "And right now," he continued, "we need to catch up for a moment...alone."

Ignoring Beomgyu's confused gaze and Jimin's unhappy one, Yoongi managed to pull Taehyun out of earshot. "You can't tell them I'm a Nephilim," he pleaded.

Taehyun gasped, "They don't know!?" Then he paused, "Actually that makes sense, they never mentioned that you were a Nephilim and seemed very impressed with my status. Why don't you want them to know?" he asked curiously.

"Jimin..." Yoongi began and then stopped, had Taehyun seen Jimin's red eyes?

"You don't want the angels to know?" Taehyun guessed, clearly confused. Yoongi breathed a sigh of relief, of course, Jimin had been careful to avoid the Nephilim's gaze.

"Yeah," Yoongi finally agreed, "I don't want them to know it's a...personal preference." He chose his words carefully, not wanting Taehyun to become suspicious.

"Okay," Taehyun agreed, "I will keep it to myself."

Yoongi smiled and ruffled his hair, just like old times. "Let's head back," he suggested before adding, "and Taehyun...I missed you too."

The young Nephilim beamed.

That night everyone slept soundly while taking turns keeping watch. They weren't sure what they would do when morning came, but for now, they were all back together, and that was enough. 


	29. Sending Them Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hah. Hah.  
> Ignore the fact that I just uploaded the wrong chapter. Here's the RIGHT chapter!

  
Yoongi rolled over onto his side and stared at Jimin's sleeping frame. Jimin was breathing softly as his chest rose and fell, his head rested on Yoongi's arm. Yoongi traced Jimin's side lightly with his free hand before gently pulling his arm out from under him, balling up his torn jacket to place under Jimin's head instead.

The air was cool and the ground wet with dew as Yoongi stepped silently out of the cave. He walked a little further and leaned against a tree, taking in the sights and sounds around him. The woods were eerily silent aside from the occasional chirp of the crickets in the surrounding area. Everyone had exhausted him with inquiries about where he had disappeared to for so long, but Yoongi honestly couldn't remember. The only thing he could share with them was the poem he had been given that led him to the dangerous sea in the first place. Fortunately, Seokjin remembered everything and was able to share in graphic detail the events that took place, though he couldn't help but think Seokjin may have left some things out to save him some dignity.

Hoseok had been able to heal Seokjin's shoulder with some difficulty, learning spells proved to be harder than he had thought, but he had come a long way since Yoongi last saw him. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to heal Jungkook's ankle. The bite was deep and painful, but at least the bleeding was able to be stopped. The warlock promised that he would try again in the morning when some of his energy had returned, but Yoongi speculated that since the bite was administered by a mythical creature, it may not heal as easily.

A sudden noise behind him caused the nephilim to turn quickly, his defensive stance was second nature to him and he almost grabbed his best friend in a chokehold.

"Shit, Joon! You startled me," Yoongi hissed, relaxing when his friend let out a soft chuckle.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Namjoon asked, looking fondly at Yoongi.

"Something like that," Yoongi murmured, "not all that tired. To tell you the truth, it feels as if I've been sleeping for a hundred years."

Namjoon hummed thoughtfully.

"Why are you up?" Yoongi asked, observing how tired Namjoon looked.

"Just have a lot on my mind..." Namjoon trailed off. "The boys have to go back tomorrow."

Yoongi relaxed in understanding, "You're worried about Kai."

"Of course I am. If anything happens to him it will be my fault. He's my responsibility...but he doesn't want to go back. I'm afraid he will resent me if I do send him back."

"You're making the right choice, he'll realize that later if not now."

"I know." Silence lapsed over them. "He, Kai, overheard something. And, ah, I found something."

Yoongi raised a curious eyebrow. "What kind of something?"

With a shaky breath, Namjoon pulled out the letter he had found in Yoon Mirae's library and handed it wordless to Yoongi. Yoongi stepped away from the large tree to find a sliver of moonlight bright enough to read what was written on the worn paper. As he read his face twisted with that of concern, and he sucked in a shaky breath.

"You can't seriously be implying-" he began, once he had finished reading the old letter.

"That's not all," Namjoon cut him off. With an almost guilty expression, he explained what Kai had overheard the night they fled.

"You don't understand," Yoongi weakly defended, "besides you, Hobi is the only other person I could have maybe considered a friend throughout these years. He would never betray us, you don't know him like I do."

"That's just it!" Namjoon exclaimed. "We all don't know each other, Yoongi. We had no idea that Hobi possessed magic and that Jin could grow a tail. At this point, I think the only person who hasn't lied about who they are is you!"

Yoongi quickly turned his face away, unable to look his best friend in the eyes without feeling an immense amount of guilt.

"Are you sure..." he took a deep breath, attempting to keep from sounding too accusatory. "Are you sure you're not just...jealous?"

"Jealous?"

"Well, Hobi and Jin have been friends for a while, and anyone with eyes can see how Hobi looks at him. I know you-"

"Are you seriously implying that my distrust for Hobi comes from something as childish as jealously over a crush!?" Namjoon's voice was strained and laced with anger. "Did you not read what was written in that letter!?"

"You're right, I'm sorry I brought it up," Yoongi quickly backed down, not wanting to fight with his friend. "But I don't think we should jump to conclusions like that just yet...we'll just keep a close eye on him, okay?"

"Besides," Yoongi continued, "Hobi is the only one here who can send Kai and Beomgyu back to safety, we can't upset him by accusing him of something that may or may not be true."

"Okay," Namjoon agreed. "We should at least attempt to get some sleep though, tomorrow morning is going to come quick and we have no idea what it'll bring."

Yoongi groaned but followed Namjoon wordlessly back into the cave. He settled as comfortably as he could on the cold, dirt ground next Jimin, replacing the jacket with his shoulder and adjusting it under his head instead. Staring aimlessly into the dark of the cave, Yoongi wondered if he'd ever fall asleep considering the new information running through his mind. Though surprisingly, a few minutes later he found himself struggling to keep his eyelids open, and was soon sound asleep. A world of uncertainty settled over him, but he knew one thing was for certain; he would do whatever he could to protect the sleeping boy beside him.

...

Jungkook woke up on the cold ground alone to the sound of raised voices. His right leg throbbed painfully from the bite the Inugami had given him. He crawled slowly out of the empty cave and settled uncomfortably on the cold, damp ground outside.

"They need to go back today!" Namjoon was shouting, face twisted in rage standing nose to nose with Taehyung who looked equally as angry.

"He doesn't have enough energy to do both!" Taehyung screamed back, not backing down from Namjoon's intimidating gaze.

"But he's absolutely positive he can send the boys back! He's not even sure if he can heal Jungkook's leg, he tried already and failed, remember!"

Hoseok looked exhausted as he attempted to stand between the two fighting males.

"If this is about me, don't I get a say in it?" Jungkook found himself asking, looking tiredly from his seated position.

"Kook!" Taehyung exclaimed, rushing forward to help him up. "You're awake."

"Of course he is," Seokjin chimed in, "your yapping could wake the dead."

"He's right though," Yoongi said, and Jungkook couldn't help but notice how close to Jimin he stood. Since when had those two become so close? "He should have a say in this, and so should Hobi."

"Technically this is about us too," Kai chimed in.

"You don't get a say in this," Namjoon said sternly.

"Stop treating me like a child!" Kai yelled, crossing his arms with a pout.

"Maybe if you stopped acting like one-" Namjoon began but was quickly shoved back by his younger brother. Jimin clutched nervously onto Beomgyu's hand as Taehyun attempted to calm Kai down.

"Send them back," Jungkook cut in, looking over at Jimin who looked terrified at the idea that his brother may be in the unsafe area for much longer. "My leg will be fine, he can always try again tomorrow."

Taehyun walked over to Hoseok and rested a hand on his shoulder. "You're positive you can make a portal large enough for them to go through?" he asked, looking relieved that the boys would be safe by leaving as planned.

Hoseok nodded slowly, "I think so," he murmured.

"Good, now we'll just have to find an area big enough," Taehyun mused thoughtfully.

"The cave should work," Yoongi said, coming up beside his old roommate.

"Are you sure the mouth is wide enough?"

"Yeah, and it's always easier to create a portal in water or a place that already has an opening."

Hoseok frowned slightly as he watched the two boys talk, but didn't say anything. Jungkook wondered if Hoseok was also confused on how Yoongi knew so much, but like the warlock, he didn't ask either. His leg was beginning to throb painfully again, and under its wrap, he could feel that it was reopening and oozing again, but he didn't want to mention it. He could see how important it was for Namjoon and Jimin that their brothers leave.

"Please," Beomgyu was clutching tight to Kai's hand, "don't make me go alone," he pleaded.

Hoseok had almost successfully created a large enough portal through the entrance of the cave, though he was already on his third attempt.

"I don't want to go!" Kai shrieked as Hoseok finally created a large, billowing portal.

"I can't hold this for long," Hoseok yelled at the boys.

Namjoon may not have been as strong as Kai, but he was far more determined. Grabbing a hold of Kai's arm, Namjoon dragged him towards the opening. "You have to think of home," he pleaded, "do it for Beomgyu."

Kai turned to look at his friend who was holding onto Jimin and crying.

"He needs you," Namjoon whispered softly, letting go of his brother's arm when he finally stopped squirming.

With a brave expression, Kai reached out and grabbed hold of Beomgyu's hand. "Together," he promised. Turning towards Namjoon he scowled, "I'm not doing this for you."

Namjoon nodded, "I know."

Jimin was leaving a soft kiss on Beomgyu's forehead. "I love you," he whispered before gently touching his necklace, secure in the fact that he would be able to keep in contact.

"I love you too," Beomgyu cried, letting Jimin wrap him in one final hug.

Namjoon turned towards Kai and smiled weakly, "I love you, you know that, right? Whatever happens, just remember that."

Kai scoffed, "You worry too much," he mumbled before turning to Beomgyu. "Come on Gyu, let's go," he softly persuaded as Hoseok screamed about not being able to hold the portal open for much longer.

Jungkook watched the scene with wide eyes as the boys stepped into the portal and out of sight. He would never get used to seeing magic like that. As soon as the portal closed he let himself collapse on the ground along with Hoseok, who was exhausted from the effort that the magic took.

"They'll be okay," Yoongi was promising both Namjoon and Jimin.

"I know," Jimin whispered, already clutching hold of his necklace. Jungkook knew that within moments, Beomgyu would be assuring him of that fact.

As Jungkook looked up at the sky he bit back a cry, the pain in his leg felt as if it was piercing down to his bone. Heat crawled up his skin and made him feel nauseous. He wondered how far they were going to travel and if he could handle it, he didn't want to be the weak link of the group.

"Are you okay?" Jungkook barely registered Seokjin's concerned voice above him. Seokjin sat on the ground next to Jungkook and pulled him into his arms. "You're so warm," he whispered, pressing a hand to his forehead.

"The bite of an Inugami shouldn't be venomous," Jungkook heard Namjoon assuring.

"He's probably just in a lot of pain," said a voice that sounded like Taehyun's.

Jungkook barely registered when Taehyung pulled him out of Seokjin's lap and into his own. "Kookie," Taehyung whispered, "I wish I could take the pain away." And Jungkook believed that if his best friend could, he would. He was selfless like that.

Wrapped up in Taehyung's comforting arms he felt the throbbing lessen and the pain dull. He nestled comfortably and was able to breathe normally as Yoongi and Hoseok unwrapped his wound.

"It looks...better?" Hoseok murmured.

Yoongi looked up in surprise, "It does," he agreed.

"Must have been the pressure he was putting on it," Namjoon reasoned. "You better stay off of it for a while."

Jungkook nodded tiredly.

"I hate to be that person," Yoongi began, "but what are we going to do? We can't sit around idly while Akshin is still a constant threat."

Seokjin's eyes lit up. "The riddle!" he exclaimed, pulling out the small wooden box from his jacket pocket.

"Riddle?" Taehyun asked curiously.

"Yeah!" Jimin exclaimed, "Remember how Yoon Mirae said something about a riddle? Well, when Jin found the crystal piece there was a riddle inscribed on the box it came in."

"I don't think it's the full riddle though," Seokjin said, flipping the lid open and handing it off to Namjoon who read it aloud.

_Life and death at the hands of one,_

_Visions plague the innocent son,_

_A sound so fierce it wakes the dead,_

_Voices like glass invade the head,_

_A holy cathedra,_

_A grave to find,_

_A simple task to look behind._

Namjoon frowned, "I don't get it."

"It's like the one I heard," Yoongi began to explain, "I, well, we," he motioned between Jimin, Seokjin and himself, "believe that the original riddle was broken into sections, and each section is meant for a specific mythical being to find."

"Yeah," Seokjin eagerly chimed in, "but for this riddle, unlike the one Yoongi received that described a siren, we have no idea which creature this is referring to...but our next step would be to find them."

"It makes sense," Namjoon slowly agreed, "but how would we go about finding them?"

Taehyung had his arms wrapped tightly around Jungkook who was clutching onto him with fear and anxiety plaguing his mind. "A sound so fierce it wakes the dead," Taehyung whispered, "...Kook."

"I know, I know," Jungkook murmured back, voices like glass most definitely have invaded his head.

"We don't even know what creature we're looking for though," Hoseok argued.

"Yes, we do." Taehyung's voice filled Jungkook's ears like a rush of water as he clutched hold of him tighter. Everyone was looking at them now.

"We do?" Seokjin asked with confusion.

Namjoon frowned, "What creature?"

Jungkook looked at Taehyung for support before softly answering.

"A banshee."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How old are y'all?


	30. Trapped

Despite having no idea where they were, the town they journeyed through was quite pleasant. The streets were lined with colored cobblestones, and the shops were each painted in a different bright color. The hum of chattering voices filled the air, along with the smell of something sweet, most likely from the bakery on the corner.

It was a harsh contrast from the forest where they had come from, but they couldn't stay in that cave forever. After Kai and Beomgyu had been sent back safely and the group figured out who needed to retrieve the next crystal piece, they wisely decided that the first thing they needed to do was eat. Not wanting to raise suspicion by traipsing all of the dirty, injured males through the nearest town, they opted to send just a few of them. Seokjin was an obvious choice as they didn't have any money to purchase food, and naturally, Hoseok and Namjoon had both volunteered to accompany him.

"I'd like to live here someday," Hoseok announced, waving at a particularly cheerful woman passing by.

"Of course you would," Namjoon mumbled, "they're all nauseatingly cheerful like you."

"My joy is quite contagious, thank you very much!" Hoseok snapped back.

"Yeah, like the flu."

Seokjin rolled his eyes and adjusted the grocery bags in his arms. "I'd really like to get back to the others without listening to you two bicker the entire way back," he grumbled.

Namjoon eyed the bags of food wearily. "You sure there wasn't a spell for making money?" he asked Hoseok, feeling guilty for stealing food from the innocent vendors.

"I told you, there's one for _stealing_ money but you had an issue with that! Even though what we did is basically the same thing..."

"Hey!" Seokjin interrupted hastily, "I have no problem with men being in love with me."

"Yeah, but you almost got us caught," Namjoon reminded him.

"It's not my fault that that woman never learned how to mind her own business and not listen in on other people's conversations."

"Whatever, can we please just-"

"Wait, guys!" Hoseok interrupted Namjoon with a whine. "I have to pee, can we find a bathroom?"

Namjoon groaned, "Can't you hold it until we're back in the woods?"

"But I have to go nooww!"

"Let's just stop here for a moment," Seokjin reasoned, glancing upwards to read the sign above the closest doorway that stated: _The Black Swan Bar &Grill._

Hoseok ran into the building before Namjoon could object, eager to empty his bladder. Seokjin and Namjoon followed with little hesitation, the pub was filled with good-humored, lively chatter, a far cry from the isolated company they had been keeping the past few days. The walls were a dusty red, golden lanterns hung on the walls above the booths while an old chandelier hung loosely above the bar. The air was humid, most likely a result of the body heat from the large mass of people. Namjoon had never actually been inside a bar before, but regardless, for a moment it almost felt as if life was normal again.

"Think you could talk the bartender into giving us a free burger?" Namjoon asked Seokjin quietly, his nostrils filling with the smell of grilled meat.

"Honey, I could talk him into giving you a blowjob if I wanted to."

"Please don't."

Seokjin did end up getting the three of them each a burger and they sat in one of the black leather corner booths to enjoy their greasy meal and laugh about what the others were missing out on. Namjoon didn't say anything when Seokjin decided to slide in next to Hoseok instead of him, and he certainly attempted to ignore how Seokjin slapped his friend's thigh while laughing loudly, keeping his hand there. He decided to tune out altogether when Seokjin scooted closer to Hoseok and rested his head comfortably on his shoulder.

As Namjoon was busy pretending whatever was happening in front of him wasn't happening, he overheard a woman at the bar behind him talking very loudly to her companion about something strange she had encountered recently. A 'haunting' was the term she used, and not loosely. Given the nature of everything they had been going through lately, the topic piqued his interest and he leaned back in order to hear their conversation better.

"...the coldest feeling I had ever felt," she was explaining, by now several others had leaned over to listen and commentate.

"My brother had that too!" Namjoon turned to see who had spoken up. A man in a ridiculously bright red hat was leaning across the bar towards the woman in a friendly manner. "He said his skin became wet, like morning dew, it was so cold."

"I tell you, I've heard many stories about that old cathedral, hair raising ones at that!" the bartender was speaking now, his greasy black hair pulled back with a rubber band. "'Be careful,' I say to anyone eager enough to check it out, but they never listen."

"It isn't exactly dangerous," the woman pointed out, "aside from the old building itself. The ghosts are just simple folklore meant to scare away tourists and curious children."

"Then how would you explain the strange things that happened to my brother? He ain't a liar that's for certain."

The woman shrugged, "I'm sure there's some scientific explanation."

Namjoon couldn't help but snort at that response, he had thought so himself only around a month ago; it felt like an eternity had passed since then.

"What's so funny?"

The amused noise he made had caught Seokjin's attention who was now looking at him with a curious expression. Namjoon waved him off to keep eavesdropping on the conversation at hand.

"...they buried him there, right out back," the bartender was saying.

"Who? The father?" the woman asked.

"No. The little boy."

"Namjoon-" Seokjin attempted to get his attention.

"Shhh!" Namjoon hissed.

"That's why it's haunted," the bartender was explaining. "They say the bishop's body was never found."

"That's hardly the reason for the hauntings. Neglect any graveyard for that long and you'll manage to piss off at least on spirit" the other male reasoned.

"Hah. Folklore," the woman scoffed.

"Namjoon!"

Namjoon quickly turned his attention back to the two in front of him. Hoseok was looking at him with annoyance while Seokjin looked a little concerned.

"We really have to get back," Seokjin motioned towards the door. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine, just-" Namjoon looked over to the now laughing group of strangers he had been discretely listening to. "I have to do something first."

He slid out of the booth and walked over to the bar towards the small group of strangers. They eyed him curiously as he approached, perhaps wondering how someone so unkempt had the audacity to go out in public. He was well aware that his appearance was questionable, spending a couple of nights in the forest would dishevel anyone.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," Namjoon began, "I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to this haunted place."

The woman looked him up and down for a moment before laughing incredulously. "Honey, it's not a place to play at. The structure is actually very dangerous, you could get hurt."

Namjoon clenched his fists at the patronizing tone he was so used to receiving. "I don't intend to 'play' there," he seethed, "I actually-" he paused, attempting to find the right word choice, "have a keen interest in the mythology behind ghosts."

The bartender laughed to himself before going to service another customer. "Look, kid," the male that had been talking with the woman stepped forward, "we can't give you the information you want. It's far too dangerous and-"

_"Give him the information he asked for."_

Namjoon hadn't even noticed Seokjin slide up behind him, but the low rumble of his voice was familiar enough now that he knew Seokjin was using his power. The male looked like he wanted to protest, to not give in, but it didn't take long for the words to spill out of his mouth in a monotone manner.

"The haunted cathedral can be found in Muhasar, the next town over. Take a right out of here and walk straight until you reach it. Once there it won't be hard to find, all of the locals avoid it, but they know where to find it. It's deep in the forest and the steeple of the cathedral is visible from most places in town depending on the fog density."

"Thank you," Namjoon rushed, making sure to relay the information in his mind to remember it.

Ignoring the bewildered look on the woman's face and the dazed one on the male's, the two boys hurried out of the pub to catch up with Hoseok. He was waiting for them by the side of the road, the grocery bags they had accumulated in hand.

"Everyone back at the cave is probably worried about us by now," Hoseok thought aloud, letting Namjoon help with one of the plastic bags.

Ignoring him, Namjoon turned to Seokjin, "Thank you for that."

Seokjin shrugged, "Not sure why you needed that information but if you were asking for it I assumed it was important."

Namjoon clutched the bag securely before cautiously looking over his shoulder, "It was," he murmured distractedly.

"What is it?" Seokjin asked, noticing his discomfort.

"Nothing," Namjoon reasoned, "it's probably nothing."

Hoseok turned around to scold them for walking too slow but stopped. "Why is that man staring at us?" he asked instead.

It was true. Behind them, a male in a pair of black jeans, a dark turtleneck, and a long black trench coat was watching with an unwavering stare as they walked away. A black fedora was pulled low over his eyes so his face wasn't visible, but it was clear where his stare was directed.

"I think I'd stare at us too," Namjoon reasoned with a chuckle, "we don't look the most presentable."

"Speak for yourself!" Seokjin exclaimed. "He's just staring at my handsome face," with a wink he turned and blew a kiss behind them.

The walk back to the forest was a little long, but not difficult. During their trek, Namjoon explained to them the conversation he had overheard.

"So you think there's significance in this old, haunted place because....?" Seokjin asked as Namjoon attempted to ignore how the siren's hand was wrapped around Hoseok's arm.

"The riddle," Namjoon answered, his eyes focused on the sky above them. "We know that it's target creature is a banshee, at least we assume so based off of Jungkook and Taehyung's discovery, but aside from that we had no idea where to go to find the crystal piece needed."

"Yeah, but what makes you think this place is the right place?" Seokjin questioned.

Namjoon tapped his chin thoughtfully, "The bartender mentioned something about a cathedral and it reminded me of what was carved into the box you found."

"Cathedra?" Seokjin remembered aloud.

"The 'L' could have been scratched or left off," Hoseok reasoned.

"Sounds like a pretty decent possibility," Seokjin agreed, but Namjoon didn't look quite convinced.

By the time they reached the woods, dusk had begun to set in.

"I hope they're not too worried," Hoseok murmured as he carefully followed the path they had marked through the forest by tying wildflowers around low tree branches.

"They're probably more hungry than anything," Namjoon muttered, hoisting the bag filled with food and water bottles over a fallen tree.

As soon as they reached the clearing, Yoongi threw himself towards Namjoon. "Never leave me alone with these children again," he cried dramatically.

Namjoon frowned and pushed his friend away quickly. "What's all over you!?" he asked.

"TAE!" Jimin could suddenly be heard screaming from the distance.

"Which one!?" Taehyung and Taehyun shouted at the same time before collapsing into each other in a fit of giggles.

"Both of you!" Jimin screamed, storming over to drag them both by their hair. He was covered in what looked like thick, black, mud.

"Ow, ow, ow!" they began to yell, grabbing at his hand.

"You think you're soooo funny, but this is my only pair of clothes!" he whined. "Now you're both going to help me wash them in the stream!"

"What is going on?" Seokjin asked with concern. The area they had been camping in was covered in mud, their makeshift fire had been trampled over, and the small shelter they had made was knocked down.

"Taehyun found a large puddle of mud and decided that it would be fun to start a war," Yoongi explained with a sigh, he shook his head slightly and mud flicked from his hair.

"Taehyunnggg," they could hear Jungkook whine from inside the cave, "it hurts!"

Yoongi sighed, "Jungkook claims that the only thing to make his leg feel better is when he's cuddling with Taehyung." He turned towards Hoseok, "You need to fix him up before I kill him or myself from annoyance."

Hoseok groaned, "I'll give it another try, but it hasn't worked the last few times, I don't know why you think that will change."

"Whatever," Yoongi grumbled, "what food did you get? I'm starving!"

They walked over to the center of their campsite while Hoseok excitedly told Yoongi of the adorable town they had come across.

"You should have seen it!" he exclaimed, waving his arms enthusiastically. Seokjin knelt down to rebuild the fire and Hoseok was quick to toss a flame on it without breaking conversation. "The buildings were all similar, but different colors and everyone was so nice and friendly!"

"Almost everyone," Namjoon muttered, remembering the rude company he had encountered at the bar.

While Yoongi did his best to feign interest, Taehyung and Jungkook seemed genuinely interested when they joined them by the fire.

"Where's Jimin?" Yoongi asked, looking around the group with concern.

"Taehyun is helping wash his clothes out in the stream," Taehyung dismissed with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Yoongi felt his stomach clench uncomfortably. It's not that he didn't trust Taehyun, the boy was like the little brother he never had, but he wasn't sure how he would react if he got a glimpse into Jimin's beautiful eyes. Jimin is careful, he reminded himself, he wouldn't let that happen.

"Namjoon discovered something," Seokjin suddenly said as he carefully roasted a cold hotdog.

"What sort of something?" Jungkook asked, leaning against Taehyung's firm and comforting chest.

"Well," Namjoon began, looking at Jungkook with caution, "I think I got directions to the location of the next piece."

A look of fear crossed over Jungkook's face before he sat up straighter and announced, "Then I guess it's time for me to fulfill my mission as a, um, as a banshee."

Taehyung hugged him a little tighter in reassurance. Jimin and Taehyun finally traipsed back clean, albeit a little wet, and joined the others around the fire while Namjoon filled everyone in on the new information.

"Since Jungkook's leg is still healing we can wait a few days before traveling to the other town," he reasoned.

"No," Jungkook interrupted, "the sooner we find the crystal piece the better. My leg has been healing steadily." He pulled up his pant leg to prove his point, the bite was indeed slowly healing.

"I guess my spells have been working," Hoseok murmured in confusion, looking at the slowly scarring skin.

"When do you want to go?" Seokjin asked Jungkook with delicate concern.

"I think we should leave tonight."

"Leaving tonight would be foolish," Yoongi muttered. "We'll spend another night in the cave and leave tomorrow when everyone is rested."

"Fine," Jungkook agreed, but truthfully he was a little relieved.

He wanted to put on a brave face and prove to everyone that he was capable of handling something like this, but inside, he was terrified. With no idea how to control his powers, he wasn't sure how he was going to retrieve the next piece. Plus, as evil as she was, Yoon Mirae did give them some helpful information, such as the fact that every shard is guarded, and Jungkook wasn't sure he wanted to meet whatever was guarding the shard he was expected to retrieve.

...

"My legs hurrtt...are we almost there?"

"Taehyung, Jungkook is the one with an injured leg, yet all I hear is _you_ complaining!" Yoongi exclaimed in frustration.

"Joon, are you sure we're headed in the right direction?" Jimin asked quietly, being careful not to trip over another tree root.

"I'm sure."

The group had set out in the late morning, and if Jungkook had to guess, it was now late afternoon. His legs were aching terribly, but he refused to be carried, the journey ahead was for him to complete and he couldn't appear weak. The path they took had begun on the main stretch of road in the town near them, but it eventually led them on a small, poorly marked path through the woods. The forest had started out pretty and open, but it was slowly becoming more dark and dense.

"If we get lost in the woods forever and die, I'm blaming you," Taehyung sarcastically yelled to Namjoon.

"We should draw straws to decide who to eat first," Jungkook suggested with a grin, attempting to keep the mood light.

Seokjin snorted, "I'm too handsome for you to even consider eating."

"And you'd need me to start the fire," Hoseok pointed out, snapping his fingers together to ignite a flame between them.

"Please, I could start a fire without your help," Namjoon scoffed.

"I'd like to see you try!"

"Fine. I'll start the one at our next location."

Jungkook rolled his eyes, "So if Namjoon can start the fire that means Hobi is free to eat?"

Hoseok turned sharply, "I will smite you," he threatened as Jungkook stuck his tongue out in defiance.

As they walked further, the woods began to fill with fog. It was hardly noticeable at first, but by the time they finally reached the town, it was dense and hard to see through.

"How do we find the cathedral from here?" Taehyun asked as they stood in the middle of a parking lot.

"We could ask someone," Namjoon suggested.

"Who?" Taehyun snorted, his arms gesturing to the eerily barren parking lot.

Aside from the parking lot being empty, it appeared as if the entire town was devoid of life. They walked further up the street through a neighborhood of poorly structured houses and run-down cars. Before long, they stumbled upon another neighborhood, just as eerie but in an upscale manner; the houses were large and well built, but dark and off-putting. Iron gates blocked off the driveways and yards, a few cars drove by slowly, but everyone was too unnerved to stop one and ask for directions.

"This place is creepy," Seokjin whispered, shivering slightly, and not because it was cold.

"The man said that the steeple of the cathedral is visible from most areas of the town...depending on the fog," Namjoon explained.

"Lot good that does us," Taehyung muttered, reaching out to see if the fog was thick enough to hold.

Jungkook rolled his eyes, "You can't pick up fog, stupid."

Taehyung scoffed, "Bite me," he hissed before looking at his friend's injured leg with amusement. "Too soon?"

"What if Jimin flew above the fog to find the cathedral," Taehyun suggested.

Jimin wrapped his arms around his chest protectively, "I-I can't."

"Why not?" Hoseok pushed.

"You have wings, right?" Seokjin asked. "I mean, they sound a lot more useful than the tail I have but I've never seen you use them."

"Yeah!" Namjoon agreed in realization, "We've seen your brother's wings, but not yours."

Yoongi could see how nervous Jimin was becoming and quickly intertwined their hands. "You don't have to be insecure about it," he murmured softly. "Your brother's wings were beautiful," he leaned in closer, "but I bet yours are even prettier."

Jimin felt tears forming in his eyes as he turned to look at Yoongi. "I can't," he repeated, his wet eyes flashing red, "please."

Yoongi looked at him for a moment longer before announcing, "We're going to have to find another way."

"If I had a useful power I would use it," Jungkook grumbled.

"What _can_ you do?" Seokjin asked with curiosity.

"He can scream," Taehyung offered unhelpfully.

"But why?"

"Banshees scream when someone in their proximity is about to die," Namjoon bluntly stated.

"That's absolutely terrifying, thank you," Hoseok shuddered, "now I'm going to be hearing Jungkook's screams in my nightmares."

"I hear Jungkook's screams when I dream too," Taehyung piped up, "but I wouldn't exactly call them nightmares..."

"Stop talking," Yoongi ordered, holding up his hand.

"How does Jungkook's death predicting scream help us find the cathedral?" Taehyun asked with frustration.

"He also has visions," Taehyung added in Jungkook's defense.

"What else?" Jimin asked curiously.

"That's it."

"Oh...neat."

"You don't have to lie," Jungkook murmured, "it's pretty lame."

"Hey, is that the steeple!?" Hoseok suddenly asked, pointing at a tall, pointed tower in the distance. For a moment it was visible as the fog lifted before quickly settling back over the town.

"Oh," he said with disappointment, "it's gone."

"Yes, but now we know the general direction, let's keep walking," Namjoon advised, leading them towards where they had seen the tower.

After a short journey down the paved, twisted roads, they were greeted by a large iron gate covered in red, metal warning signs.

" _'No Trespassing,'"_ Jimin read, as Yoongi traced the rusted letters with his fingertips.

 _"'Violators will be prosecuted,'"_ Hoseok stated, reading one of the many new and old signs.

Seokjin walked towards the locked gate and grinned, "I'm sure I could talk them out of that. Now unlock it."

Hoseok gulped but raised his hand to break the new looking padlock nonetheless. With the gate finally open they all quickly slipped inside, though the lack of people and dense fog took away some of the sense of urgency. From there they followed a narrow path that led through a dense forest.

"I'm so sick of trees," Taehyung complained, looking up through the branches at the darkening sky.

"Trees are good," Yoongi argued, "they provide us coverage."

"Is anyone else cold?" Jungkook asked quietly, his bottom lip was quivering slightly as he clenched his teeth together to keep them from chattering.

"I think it is getting colder," Taehyun affirmed.

When they finally reached the old, abandoned cathedral all of them were shivering in their shoes. The fog was wrapping them up like a thick blanket as they walked towards the front of the crumbling, stone building. The grass was wet with the seemingly permanent dew beneath their feet, and Seokjin found himself at a struggle to keep his powers at bay every time a blade of the tall, uncut grass wrapped uncomfortably around his ankle.

"Do we have to stay here?" Jimin asked nervously.

"Not for long," Yoongi assured.

As soon as they reached the old, wooden door, Jungkook's head began to swim. It felt as if nails were clawing into his brain and he quickly covered his head protectively with his hands. Incoherent whispers flooded past his eardrums, whispers of bothered souls and unrestful spirits.

"Stop," he cried out, halting Yoongi's movements of opening the door. "We can't stay here."

The rest of the boys looked at him with confusion. "Why not?" Namjoon asked as Taehyung rushed over to wrap Jungkook in a hug.

"It's too dark here," Jungkook murmured. "Too dangerous, we need to leave now. They don't want us here."

"Who?"

"Them!" Jungkook shouted, waving his arms around to gesture to the entire area.

Suddenly, the fog lifted and they could see where they were standing; in the middle of a graveyard. The ground was littered with broken stones and rusted metal plates and a chill passed through all of them as the fog settled back around them, just as quickly as it had lifted.

"We have to stay here," Namjoon argued, pushing open the heavy, and surprisingly, unlocked door. "We have to get the crystal piece."

Seokjin hesitated before grabbing ahold of Hoseok's hand and pulling the two of them inside. "Namjoon's right," he whispered before turning to Jungkook. "Look, I know it's scary. Trust me, I've been in the exact position you have, but you're a lot braver than you think. And if I can retrieve a heavily guarded piece, then so can you."

Jungkook clutched tightly onto Taehyung as they followed Yoongi, Jimin, and Taehyun inside. "You're brave," Taehyung encouraged, "don't be scared."

"I'm not scared!" Jungkook squeaked, he was too preoccupied with how terrified he was to be embarrassed by the obvious fear in his voice.

"Cathedrals were prominently built as Christian churches around the fourth century," Namjoon explained as they walked down the long, stone hall.

"Gosh, he's like a living Encyclopedia," Seokjin complained.

Unphased, Namjoon continued. "Though some are still in use today, most are abandoned or re-modernized. They have many rooms surrounding the large area of worship, including several levels, though due to the structure of this building, I advise we stay on the ground floor."

Yoongi looked up at the crumbling stone and laughed dryly, "Thanks, captain obvious."

Namjoon turned around to look at them sternly, "I'm serious, stay on the ground level."

"I can't even see him but I know he's using that expression that makes him look constipated," Taehyung said with a laugh.

They looked in many of the dusty rooms but finally decided on a smaller one to stay in for the night. The ceiling was completely caved in, which meant they wouldn't have to worry about it collapsing on them in the middle of the night. Plus, the view of the night sky was less eerie than the view inside the cathedral.

"It's not quite dark out, we should explore the grounds before we rest for the night, get us out of here quicker," Taehyun suggested.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Hoseok asked.

Seokjin pulled out the wooden box from the bag he had brought with him. " _A grave to find,"_ he read aloud, skipping a few lines of the riddle. "I'd say you're looking for a grave."

Jungkook whimpered softly at the thought. The idea of disturbing anything here scared him more than he'd like to admit; the spirits were restless and unhappy, he could feel it in his bones.

"There's a lot of graves here," Jimin murmured timidly.

"That's why we should start looking now," Yoongi agreed.

"I'll stay back and help with the fire and cook some of the food we brought," Seokjin suggested.

"By yourself?" Hoseok asked with concern.

"Hell no! You're going to stay to light the fire."

"I can stay," Namjoon interrupted, "I can light the fire."

"Okay, no offense Joon, but I want to eat hot food and not freeze to death tonight," Yoongi muttered, "you're coming with us to look for the piece."

"Okay, let's go," Jimin rushed, hopping in place to stay warm.

"Oh no, you're staying here," Yoongi commanded.

"But I want to help," Jimin protested.

"I know, but it's too dangerous, you can stay here and help Jin."

Jimin opened his mouth in shock and frustration. "What gives you the right to tell me what to do!?" he shouted angrily.

"Because it's my job to protect you!" Yoongi instinctively yelled back.

"Why would you think it's your job to protect me!?"

"Because you're an angel and I-" Yoongi stopped himself, the words dying in the back of his throat. _'Because I'm a Nephilim,'_ but he couldn't say that and everyone was now staring at him waiting for a response.

"Because I _like_ you!" he finally blurted out instead, his fists balled at his sides. "And I don't want you to get hurt so you're staying here and Taehyun is staying here to protect all of you and that's final!"

Jimin's eyes and mouth were wide open, but he had at least stopped arguing and appeared too stunned to move entirely.

"Wow," Taehyung finally said, "now this is the tea I signed up for." He looked over at Jungkook to see if he was equally as amused but found that he was too preoccupied with the literal voices in his head.

"I was actually thinking that Taehyun could be helpful in the search," Namjoon began, unsure of how to proceed through the awkward silence that had settled over everyone, but Yoongi cut him off.

"Taehyun, please, I need you to stay, I trust you to protect them."

Taehyun looked at his friend's pleading eyes and nodded, "Okay," he agreed. "I'll stay."

"Alright," Namjoon relented. "Jungkook, Tae, and Yoongi...let's go find a grave."

...

"I think this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever done in my life," Yoongi scoffed as he attempted to read another grave marker.

Taehyung frowned, "Um, did you forget that you were trapped by a mind-controlling goddess for weeks?"

"Oh, right. The second most ridiculous thing then."

"I don't think this is going to work," Jungkook whispered, his arms wrapped around his legs that were pulled into his chest as he rocked back and forth on the cold, wet grass.

"Reading the headstones to see if they mention anything about Akshin, demons, or eternal puzzle pieces is the best idea we have," Namjoon reminded him.

Suddenly, Taehyung squealed loudly. "Oh my gosh! This one says _'dig to find the crystal piece you need'_!"

"Does it really!?"

"No, of course, it doesn't!" Taehyung yelled

Yoongi laughed, "Now do you see how ridiculous your idea is?"

"Just keep looking," Namjoon grumbled.

"Jungkook really doesn't look well," Yoongi whispered to Namjoon after a moment of looking. The pale-faced boy looked sick to his stomach as he sat, unmoving on the ground.

"I think this place is really having an effect on him," Yoongi continued, "maybe he should go back to the others?"

Namjoon nodded, "Jungkook," he said, grabbing the boy's attention, "you look tired. Why don't you head back to where everyone else is setting up camp."

"I'll walk with him," Taehyung offered quickly, rushing over to pull his friend to his feet.

It didn't take any convincing for Jungkook to leave the darkening graveyard, he was more than eager to get out of there, though inside the cathedral wasn't much more of a comfort. They couldn't remember the door they had left out of and instead ended up entering through a broken section of the stone wall.

The room they entered into was the large, abandoned worship hall. In the middle of the room ran a long aisle with a matted, torn red rug. Along the aisle sat rotting, wooden benches that lead up to a large, high ceilinged stage. The stone walls, which once were adorned in beautiful stained glass, were now caved in, colorful pieces of glass littered throughout the stone rubble. Fortunately, the marble support beams had held up, though they probably weren't to be trusted for the years to come.

In the middle of the stage sat a large, wooden throne covered in tattered, red cloth. Its former beauty could only be left to the imagination.

Before Jungkook could say anything, Taehyung took notice of the throne and bounded forward. "I've finally found my rightful place; on a throne!" he cried out with a laugh.

"Tae, wait!" Jungkook yelled after him, running to catch up. "Stop, don't touch that!"

Taehyung rolled his eyes and plopped down on the dusty seat. "You worry too much, Kook...now dance for me, jester!"

"Tae, this isn't funny. Let's please go find the others."

Taehyung leaned back and ignored him, "I'm just trying to make you feel better," he pouted.

"Then get off!" When Taehyung didn't respond Jungkook stuck his bottom lip out and pouted, "My leg hurts..."

Taehyung opened up his arms, "Then come cuddle on here, it's actually pretty comfortable." He bounced playfully on the seat, "If it wasn't so cold I think I'd sleep out here."

Jungkook took a step back and clutched his head, "Tae..."

"It's large enough to almost lay down on, I could sleep like this..." Taehyung turned so that his legs were draped over the side of the armrest. "Or like this..." he curled up in a ball and held his knees up to his chest. "Or even like this!" with a giggle, he turned so that his back was on the seat and threw his legs over the top of the throne.

His feet couldn't even reach the top of the backing, and instead rested on the carved, circular decal placed in the center. The carving was made up of essentially three lines, two formed a large 'X' while the third was carved into a sword running through the middle of the 'X.'

"What do you think that means?" Taehyung asked, squinting up at the odd decoration.

"I don't know," Jungkook answered distractedly, unease was rushing through his bones.

Taehyung sighed in frustration, "Fine, we can go back."

He used his legs to kick off of the back of the chair in a clumsy flip, but when he applied pressure to the wooden carving he found his foot press forward instead of launching him off and for a moment he feared the large chair was tipping. Jungkook watched with wide eyes as Taehyung pushed against the circular carving that acted as a button and sunk further into the throne. With a frustrated cry, Taehyung kicked harder and launched himself backward with a thud.

Before he could open his mouth to complain about the faulty structure of the throne, a low rumbling noise filled their ears. The ground beneath their feet shook as stone scraped against stone in a slow, heavy fashion. Behind the throne, the wall had opened up into a dark cavern.

"Holy shit," Taehyung breathed out, staring unmoving at the gap in the stone tile, "did I do that?"

Jungkook didn't answer and instead walked deafly towards the passage.

"Remember how you wanted to go back to the others?" Taehyung chattered nervously. "I think we should do that now."

"Shh," Jungkook hushed him, the whispers in his ear were louder now, but the fear he had experienced earlier was replaced by an unexplainable pull.

"There are stairs," he finally mentioned, looking at Taehyung expectantly.

"You're not seriously implying that we go down there, right!?" Taehyung squeaked. "Remember what Namjoon said about staying on the ground level, I think he was on to something there."

Jungkook ignored him and instead took a heavy step on the top step of the spiral metal stairway to test its hold.

"He's usually smart, you know?" Taehyung babbled on. "Generally if Namjoon thinks something's a bad idea it's probably a-"

"Are you coming?" Jungkook asked with an unphased expression, both feet now on the top step of the rickety stairs.

"Of course not! I don't have a death wish."

Taehyung watched nervously as Jungkook descended. It wasn't until the top of his head was almost out of sight that he stood up with a whine and dragged his feet over to the opening.

"This is such a terrible idea," he whimpered but followed Jungkook down nonetheless. "You don't feel the urge to scream, right?"

...

Hoseok and Taehyun ran into the room shortly after Taehyung had disappeared down the passage. They had heard the loud noise that the opening had made and decided it'd be best to investigate. Taehyun was reluctant to leave the others, especially since it was in his nature to protect Jimin, but exploring what made the awful noise was an act of protection.

"What is this place?" Hoseok asked, looking around the large, high ceilinged room in awe.

"The place people worshiped in, I believe," Taehyun theorized.

"They need a throne to worship?"

"It's called a cathedra, I think that's where the bishop sat."

"A cathedra? Like...the riddle?"

Taehyun shrugged, "I suppose so."

A loud cry of fear suddenly met their ears. "There!" Hoseok shouted, pointing towards the direction of Taehyung's scared whines that were wafting out of the tunnel.

"Tae!" he shouted, running to the opening of the tunnel "Jungkook! Yoongi! Namjoon!"

"I don't think they can hear you," Taehyun murmured, staring into the dark passage.

"Is that a basement?" Hoseok asked warily.

Taehyun hummed thoughtfully, "If I had to guess I'd assume it's the catacombs. Most old cathedrals like this have them."

"Catacombs?"

"Like...an underground graveyard."

Hoseok's eyes widened, "Why would they go down there!?"

"Probably to look for the crystal, we should help them." Taehyun began to descend the stairs before Hoseok grabbed a hold of his arm.

"I don't think they need our help," Hoseok whispered nervously. Another loud cry met their ears.

Taehyun looked at him incredulously, "Ah, I think they do."

Hoseok hesitated but did follow him down into the dark chambers. Cobwebs clung to their face and skin as they descended into the small, dusty area. Even with the small flame lit on Hoseok's fingertips it was too dark to see properly and the passage was so narrow their hands brushed along the freezing, dirty stone walls. Something scurried by their feet and it took everything in Hoseok not to cry out in alarm, but if he was being honest he was afraid to even open his mouth.

They caught up to the others rather quickly, though as soon as they did Taehyung screamed so loud it left all of their ears ringing.

"Damn, I think you have some banshee in you too," Taehyun complained as he shook his head to stop the ringing.

"Taehyun? Hobi? Is that you?" Jungkook asked, reaching forward to touch their faces. In the glow of the small flame, they could just make out each other's shadows.

"You startled me," Taehyung defended, crossing his arms to appear braver than he felt.

"Sounds like a lot of things startled you," Hoseok commented. "We heard the rumbling and decided to check it out, afterward we heard Taehyung screaming and found this passage, figured you may need help."

"The rumbling was actually the passage opening up, and the screaming a result of several large spiders and one rat," Jungkook explained too calmly.

"Where's Yoongi and Namjoon?" Taehyun asked.

Taehyung clutched Jungkook's hand nervously, "Probably still outside, which is where I'd very much like to be right now."

Suddenly, a light began to glow in the distance. It appeared to be moving at a rapid pace towards them, but when it finally reached them it rushed right past them. They quickly realized that along the wall was a row of old fashioned torches, which were suddenly aglow with a flickering flame.

"What the-" Hoseok began nervously, at a loss for words.

They could now see everything around them. The walls were black stone covered in dirt and moss, while the ground was simply earth. Above them, the ceiling was coated in what appeared to be black tar. Large spiders scurried along the walls and ceilings while more than a few rodents ran along the floor, they were probably intimidated by the light and strange movement after being alone for so long.

"We need to get out of here," Taehyung announced and attempted to pull Jungkook with him while Taehyun and Hoseok nodded their heads in agreement.

Jungkook seemed to be the only one who disagreed. "We can't leave, not yet," he whispered, yanking his hand out of Taehyung's grasp.

A loud, familiar rumbling was suddenly heard above them as the narrow chamber shook, causing pebbles and dirt to fall around them and a few of the torches to burn out.

"No!" Hoseok yelled, rushing towards the stairwell at the same time as Taehyun. Taehyung stood in silence, wanting to cry at the words he heard next but holding it in.

"It closed!"

"Use magic to open it!" Taehyung yelled, his voice strained with the effort of holding back his tears.

"I'm trying, but I don't know an exact spell for a situation like this!"

"How are we going to get out!?"

"I don't know," the fear in Hoseok's voice was apparent, as was the dread that set in with his next words.

"We're trapped."


End file.
